Fleetness of Time
by scattersoflight
Summary: When Ginny Weasley is sent back in time to 'make things better', how many lives can she touch? Can she change things for better, or will she hurt everyone in the process? Really, what's the worst that could happen?
1. Decisions Fraught with Confusion

Just a few quick notes to help things make a little more sense:

This will be a Sirius/Ginny fic set in the Marauders' Era. It is not DH compliant, but will follow canon through HBP. While not my first fanfic attempt by any means, it is my first HP attempt, and I'll warn you right now – I have neither a beta nor a Brit-picker, so…deal with it???

Enjoy!

**Ginny Weasley and the Fleetness of Time**

**Chapter One – **_**Decisions Fraught with Confusion**_

She could not believe that this was being asked of her. Of _her_! Well, of anyone, really. This wasn't the sort of thing that should be asked of anyone; it wasn't fair and – and it was too much. It's too much for one girl of not yet seventeen to handle, at least in a way that would have a positive outcome.

"Professor, I don't know if I can – " That is all she gets out before said professor interrupts her.

"You, Miss Weasley, are more than capable of completing this task," Professor McGonagall interrupts firmly, though not unkindly, "In fact, I cannot think of anyone better suited for this than you are."

The words do little to convince the girl, set as she is in her feeling that nothing good could come of this. "Why me?" she asks on a whisper, "Why would you ask me to do this when there are so many students here that are so much more capable than I am?"

Professor McGonagall watches her, a shrewd look on her face. "Ginevra," she begins, surprising the younger woman with the familiar address, "Please think about it for a moment. If I'm sitting here with you, telling you to go back into the past, did it ever occur to you that there might be a specific reason I am asking that of you?"

Blank-faced, Ginny thinks it over for a moment. The war-weary professor gives a thin-lipped smile of grim satisfaction as realization dawns. "You mean – that is to say, you knew it has to be me because…"

"Yes, because I remember you from then Ginevra," Professor McGonagall smiles slightly, bowing her head in acknowledgement, "I actually had the honor of getting to know you quite well, my dear."

"Oh," she softly utters, all that she can manage at the moment. The thought of getting to know her somewhat closed off head of house is a little overwhelming to her, but with the enormity of the situation, she can't afford to ponder on that. "What am I supposed to do?"

"I can tell you what you did before," Professor McGonagall tells her softly, "And I can advise you that I think you can do more, so much more."

Ginny's eyes widen slightly at that, and she worries her lower lip between her teeth as she watches her professor expectantly. When it becomes clear that she isn't going to elaborate until something is said, Ginny sighs. "What did I do?"

To Ginny's astonishment (and possibly shock and tiny amount of horror), Professor McGonagall smiles widely at her. It is far and away the biggest smile she has ever seen grace the face of her stern professor. "You, my darling girl, brought much light and happiness to several individuals who greatly needed it at that time in their lives. Myself included."

To Ginny's horror, tears fill the professor's eyes before she has the chance to blink them away. "I – I'm sorry, Professor, but I just don't understand."

"That's the marvelous part of all of this; what you don't understand now, you'll figure out when you get there." Ginny opens her mouth to question that, to protest, but McGonagall holds a hand up to ward off her comments. "Ginevra, you're a very blessed young witch. You have a talent that you don't always use in the right way and that you don't always see through to its fullest, but it is there. Going back is your opportunity to put those talents to the test, to use them to their fullest. I believe that you can do this; in fact, I know that you can."

Her unwavering confidence and unexpected praise give Ginny something of a boost, and she nods absently as she runs through this in her head again. "What should I do?" she whispers, "Who do I befriend? How am I supposed to - what I mean to ask is, how am I supposed to know who to get close to? Erm, beside you, of course."

McGonagall has the nerve to smile at her in an indulgent sort of way. "Ginevra, I know that saying this, more than anything else, will raise your hackles, but you will know who you are supposed to befriend when you get there."

Of course, her teacher is right, that does hack her off in a way that little else could. But she brushes that aside, and leans forward. "Will I be able to say goodbye to everyone? My family, my friends…Harry?"

The downturn of her professor's gaze is enough to answer that question, but McGonagall answers anyway. "I'm afraid that just won't be possible. Most of your family is out on Order missions of their own, and your friends and Harry…"

"Right, we don't even know where Ron, Harry, and Hermione are," Ginny interrupts, trying to keep some of the bitterness that she's feeling out of her voice, "I – I understand. Why I can't say goodbye to them, I mean. I'm still not certain I know what I'm supposed to do in the past, though."

McGonagall pauses for a moment, regarding Ginny intently as she takes a moment to gather her thoughts. "You will make the world a better place, Ginevra. Perhaps it will be in a small way, like improving the lives of those you come into contact with. But I see you doing larger things now, for the good of everyone."

That takes Ginny by surprise, and before she can let the heavy implications of those words blanket her, she asks a more pressing question. "Wouldn't you know already if I'm to do larger things?"

"Time is fluid," McGonagall relates with a small smile, "As you change it, what I know now will change as well. Do your best. I daresay that is all anyone could ever ask of any other person."

Ginny gives her a wry smile, shrugging her shoulders slightly. "I guess that we'll have to hope my best is good enough. I – I just wish that you could give me something more to go on, Professor. It feels like there are specific things you want me to do, but you aren't telling me what they are."

McGonagall nods, rising from her chair and turning to look out a window enchanted to give a perfect aerial view of the lake. "It would be selfish of me to guide you with the specifics. And furthermore, did I not just say that you would know what to do? Honestly, Miss Weasley, a little confidence in yourself will go a long way in this."

"What if – I'm afraid I'll mess this up," Ginny admits in a rather terrified tone, "If I mess this up, what will happen?"

"If you mess things up, well, how would I know what will happen? Time is fluid," McGonagall sighs at having to repeat herself, "But as I also said, I do not believe that you will. Besides, for the record, wouldn't you say that things are messed up enough now as it is?" Ginny has to concede to that, a small smile uplifting the corners of her mouth. "There is very little that you could do to make the future bleaker than it is now, do you not agree?"

"I – no, you're entirely right, of course," Ginny agrees after a moment of contemplation, "I suppose that I'm just scared."

McGonagall inclines her head in a brief nod, mostly meant to show that she heard. "That is perfectly natural. I'd be rather worried if you _weren't_ scared or nervous."

"Terrified," Ginny supplies, letting out a breathless little laugh.

The professor nods, a small smile playing over her lips. "You will be fine, darling girl. You absolutely will be fine. And if my memory serves, you will like it. You will like the people who befriend you, love some of them even, and you'll make a wonderful difference. I know you will."

Her words are heartening for Ginny, and she nods her agreement with the professor's words. "Okay, I can do this," she says resolutely, squaring her shoulders and looking McGonagall in the eye, "I won't fail you."

A sad sort of wistfulness creeps into Professor McGonagall's eyes at that. "My darling girl, there is no way that you ever fail me."

"Thank you," Ginny smiles, somehow bolstered by the headmistress's unconditional support of her. "I'm ready, then."

"Well, then," McGonagall nods, taking a shaky breath, "Do you remember everything? How to work the time turner? And you are not to share details of the future with _any_one, Miss Weasley. Change what you can, but the workings of time are not things that most people can understand, and I fear what would happen to you if people thought you were playing about with it."

"I suppose that is exactly what I'll be doing, though. Meddling with time?"

McGonagall agrees with a sharp inclination of her head. "Of course. It just won't do for anyone else to find out about it, do you understand that? I can only imagine what I would say if I knew." She shakes her head, as if to clear it of the thought. "But that is no matter, Ginevra. You won't tell anyone, so it is beside the point. For you own safety, no matter how close you get to someone, you are not to tell why you are there or where you are really from."

She recognized that maybe this was the one area that McGonagall wasn't freely giving her explicit trust. Ginny can understand where she is coming from there. She can imagine how great the temptation to confide in someone will be, especially if, as McGonagall has promised, she gets to know people, gets to be friends with them and close to them. It's a natural inclination, and she has always been a fairly open person who was quick to share herself. Of course, that thought brings on the shuddering reminder of Tom Riddle and his diary, only serving to drive home McGonagall's point.

"I won't tell anyone, I promise," she whispers fervently. "But I don't understand why it would be so disturbing to people, if it is something they could recognize as a possibility."

"I suppose you wouldn't know," McGonagall sighs almost absently, "Well, while we recognize it as possible, it is not widely practiced. That is especially true back then. Even now, when it is used, it is in such circumstances as Ms. Granger's class schedule her third year, which I'm sure you're aware of."

Ginny nods. "I won't tell, Professor, I really won't."

McGonagall nods. "I – but if you must, I trust that you will know who you can confide that information in."

"You?"

"That is for you to decide," McGonagall smiles. "If you do, I'm sure I shall do my best not to give into the temptation to commit you to the ward for the deranged at St. Mungo's."

Smiling a little, Ginny nods. "Thank you. And really, I will not tell. I can understand how important it is that I do not."

"Well, then, I guess you are ready to go. I've taken the liberty of procuring you some robes that will be more acceptable for the time you will be, along with some timely Muggle wear. There's also a broom, as I'm sure you'll want to try out for the Gryffindor quidditch team. There is also a sack of galleons, enough to last you a couple of years, if not longer." She raises her hand to cut off Ginny's protests. "No, now you listen to me. You'll need these."

"I – a couple of years?"

"There is no set timeline. When you think you've accomplished as much as you can, then you can come back. This is very much of your own free will. All that I implore is that you keep an open mind, and follow your heart."

At this, Ginny starts. "My heart is here," she says softly, earnestly, "It's with my family and Harry."

McGonagall gives her a tightlipped smile, shaking her head slightly in the negative. "Perhaps that is true, but perhaps it is not. I guess that is something you shall have to discover for yourself." She reaches out, laying a hand on the young woman's shoulder. "You and Mr. Potter have ended things, no?"

"Yes, we have," Ginny blinks, unsure as to why she's being asked that.

Professor McGonagall seems to exhale at this, perhaps in relief. "Then that is something. You are free. Your parents know and understand where you are going and what you will be doing, and you have no other obligations here. 'To thine own self be true'. And perhaps, just perhaps, there is another who needs you more than Mr. Potter does."

That phrase is familiar to Ginny, and her mind immediately wanders to Hermione. It sounds like something her friend would say, so she wonders if it isn't some sort of Muggle colloquialism. But thoughts of that are beyond her right now, as is the desire to ponder on the meaning behind it. It does burn a little, though, that their respected teacher would suggest she move on from Harry. She doesn't exactly understand where that would be coming from.

"Well, then," Professor McGonagall begins brusquely, "Are you ready? I have the time turner here, and you know what to do with it. Just keep it safe, hidden where no one can find it."

Ginny nods, worrying her lower lip between her teeth. "I'm ready," she says, her voice a bare whisper.

The headmistress nods, giving her a wistful smile. "And you remember your cover story? And that you cannot go by Weasley. I'm sorry, but your family is just too well known to be that blatant about it."

"I remember," Ginny assures her, pressing a hand on top of the older woman's, "It'll all be fine, I promise."

"Oh, dear girl, it should be I comforting you," Professor McGonagall chuckles before sobering into her usual stern demeanor. "Alright. Off with you then."

Ginny's heart – or possibly stomach – seem to leap into her throat at those words, and her fingers begin to tingle with nervous anticipation. She clenches her fingers around the shrunken packages tightly, too nervous to trust any looser of a grip. She does as she was told perfectly; the correct number of twists on the time turner while standing perfectly still. Professor McGonagall watches until the young woman is blurred out of sight before sitting heavily in one of the chairs in front of her desk.

"She'll be fine, Minerva," the newest portrait in the office says to her. Professor McGonagall glances over to look at Albus Dumbledore. "She is a very strong, very smart young lady. Honestly, if this wasn't such an integral part of her destiny, I would've considered sending her back anyway, only to a different time in her own life."

"What on earth – why would you do that to the child?" Minerva sputters in a fashion very unlike her.

Dumbledore merely smiles serenely at McGonagall, the eyes in his portrait twinkling in a way that just did not seem right. "Could you imagine how much stronger she would've made your golden Gryffindor trio? Sending her back for that purpose would've benefited those three very much."

McGonagall shakes her head in irritation. "I'm not concerned about doing things for the benefit of those three right now; I am much more concerned about Ginevra. I hope that she takes my words to heart and follows through as we remember."

"And more," sighs the former headmaster. "I hope she can do more."


	2. One of These is Not Like the Others

Quick note: I think I should clarify a thing or two. This takes place _after_ Ginny's sixth year, so just after she's turned seventeen. The trio is still looking for horcruxes, but neither Ginny nor McGonagall had been let in on the secret, so Ginny can't do anything about that while she's in the past. Hopefully it all makes sense!

While this is primarily Ginny/Sirius, there will be other story threads I'd like to follow. But I promise, Ginny and Sirius are the focus. Thanks for reading!

**Chapter Two – **_**One of These Things is Not like the Others**_

When the world stops spinning around her, Ginny is relieved to see that she is at least in the right _place_. Determining if she's in the right _time_ will have to wait, she figures, as she gets her bearings. She's in McGonagall's – no, it should be Dumbledore's, if things went right – office, and a quick glance tells her she is currently alone. That leaves her feeling both relieved and oddly bereft, somehow.

She doesn't have time to examine that when she hears the sound of loud arguing and – is that someone sobbing? – coming from the stairwell that leads up to the grand office she is standing in. Suddenly panicked, for she and McGonagall hadn't discussed just _how_ she'd be introduced to everyone at Hogwarts, she turns to head for the back stairs that she knows are rarely used. While she isn't ready to be caught, especially not in this office, catching sight of the magical calendar on the headmaster's desk has her stopping in her tracks.

August 28th, 1978.

Well, at least that worked out correctly. So far, so good. The sound of the door on the opposite side of the large room creaking as it is pushed open snaps her out of her daze, and she slips through the other door.

She doesn't make her way out of the castle, though, as she knows she probably should. She stays in the stairwell, listening as the voices she'd heard make their way into the office. After a moment of listening, she realizes with some relief that it is Dumbledore and McGonagall, along with Professor Flitwick. Horrorstruck, Ginny watches as the other two lead a sobbing Professor McGonagall to a chair.

"Minerva, I know this is hard," Professor Flitwick begins, his voice as high-pitched and squeaky as ever, "But you've got to pull yourself together. The students will be here in four days, and – "

"Until your daughter and grandchildren are murdered, do not tell me what is hard," McGonagall grits out, surprisingly tough for all the sobbing she is doing, "And by her h-husband! How – oh, Albus, how did I miss the signs? How could I have misjudged him so? A Deatheater!"

Professor McGonagall had a daughter? And grandchildren? Ginny never knew that, but if they died several years before she was even born, why would she? After all, she was told bedtime tales of Harry Potter's remarkable triumph over Voldemort and the killing curse, not horror stories of the dead. Even her uncles who died in the war were hardly spoken of by their own family.

"Minerva, I'm quite sure that Filius did not mean any harm by his treatise," Dumbledore says quietly, the twinkle gone from his brilliant blue eyes, "You have the fullest sympathy and support of everyone at Hogwarts. You know this."

"You'll be shocked to find that doesn't really help much at a time like this," Minerva bites out, rising from the chair they had guided her to. Ginny feels her heart break a little more than it already is for the stern professor. "I should like to be alone now. I'll join the staff in the great hall for dinner."

The two men (and Ginny) watch her leave, silence weighing heavily around them. As Dumbledore and Flitwick begin speaking quietly amongst themselves, Ginny creeps down the back stairs, taking care to make sure she doesn't run into anyone. She has the papers that give her an identity and the means to come back to Hogwarts in a few days as a transfer student, but she doesn't think it would quite do to be found here before that.

Ginny has to skirt the edges of the Forbidden Forest on her way to the outskirts of Hogsmeade. The old adage that some things never change strikes as so very true since the forest feels just as foreboding and creepy as it ever did in her time. Suppressing a shudder, she is not sorry to note that she'll likely have no reasons to go in there now.

When she gets to the village, it too looks the same. Or at least it looks the same as it did before a rather violent battle shortly after Dumbledore's funeral. She'd come with her mother and Fred and George to help in the clean up efforts, and while there wasn't much loss of life, there was considerable damage to the town. At the sight of it returned to it's (much) former glory, she has to wonder if everything is going to leave her with the strange dichotomy of feelings like this. Simultaneous joy and sorrow was not exactly easy to cope with.

"Pull yourself together," she whispers aloud, wrapping the edges of her robe tighter around herself as the wind picks up a little. She's supposed to go to Diagon Alley to purchase what she'll need for the school year as well as acclimate herself to the difference in time. She doesn't figure that will be too hard; the wizarding world does not move so fast as the rest of the world does, and she does expect it to be all that different.

She does as she had been instructed, and apparates to the acceptable point in Diagon Alley. It had come as such a surprise to her that Professor McGonagall had figured out that Fred and George had taught her how to apparate far short of her seventeenth birthday, and she'd made the vow to herself then to never underestimate the woman again. But as McGonagall said, it was highly convenient and would probably come in immensely handy in any timeline.

In the time she had left, Diagon Alley had been empty, virtually deserted as people started staying home and as far from the reach of Voldemort and his Death Eaters as possible. It is not as bad as that here, but she imagines that in another year or so, perhaps less, it will be like that, too. The thought overwhelms her with sadness, and she makes her way over to a bench and sits.

After a few minutes of wallowing in the most complete bout of self-pity she's ever indulged herself in, she stands up and makes her way through the various stores needed to get the things McGonagall outlined for her. It doesn't take long to gather the necessaries, and once she has everything, she goes to the Leaky Cauldron. She'll need a place to stay for a few nights until she can go to Platform 9 3/4 to catch the Hogwarts Express.

The Leaky Cauldron is so unchanged from her memory that she actually stands gawking in the doorway for a moment before the bustle of other customers gets her moving again. She winds her way through the tables and chairs to the bar and secures her room from Tom. He seems suspicious of her, but she blames that on the circumstances of the world and Voldemort's gaining power. Her story is sound, though, and he seems to buy it quickly enough.

"There are a couple of boys your age staying here, miss," he tells her, shaking his head, "Don't know if you'd be wanting to meet up with them, though. Troublemakers, those two. They play pranks."

Her heart clenches when that incites thoughts of Fred and George, but she just smiles shyly at him and assures him she'll keep an eye out for them. "Thank you, sir. I'll be quiet, and I won't cause any problems. I'm sure that students aren't your favorite people to put up most of the time."

"Now, if they were all as charming as you," Tom beams at her, "Then there wouldn't be any problem. My dear, if you need anything at all, you just come down here and let me know, okay?"

"Thank you," she grins easily in return, a little of her normal confidence beginning to shine through as she acclimates a little more. "I'll be sure to keep that in mind."

Her hands are still clenched tightly around her shrunken packages as she heads up to her room. She gets there without incident, but as she opens the door she can hear the familiar sounds of rough-housing coming from a room down the hall, and it isn't hard for her to assume that would be where the two pranksters were staying. She smiles at the thought; perhaps she will seek them out. Tomorrow, after she can get some rest.

Waking up the next morning, Ginny actually felt a sense of positive anticipation for the things that she would – or could – be doing. One of the things on the forefront of her mind was Professor McGonagall. She had told Ginny that they had been close, or would be – however that works – and after overhearing (or eavesdropping, as the case may be) the conversation in Dumbledore's office, Ginny wanted to help her teacher more than ever.

The first question was how to begin a relationship that went beyond head of house/student. McGonagall was definitely not the type to foster relationships of a friendly variety with her students, not to say that she was cold. But there was definitely a stern bit of attitude that kept anyone from getting too close. Yet Ginny was expected to get around that.

She figured that the best bet would be to ask for special school-related help, but she wasn't sure how that would go over. For one, Ginny was no slouch at transfiguration, and she wasn't sure she'd be able to convincingly fake it. And also, if she chose that route, she'd more than likely be assigned a tutor rather than receive special instruction from the professor.

At this point, the best she could come up with would be to request animagus training. She'd never particularly wanted to go that route as it wasn't appealing to her, but she didn't have a better idea right now. There was still time to think on it, of course, but she rather had the feeling that was it.

Deciding to put it out of her mind for now, she readies herself for the day, and when she looks her best (because when you look your best, you feel your best – or so says Molly Weasley), she leaves her room to head downstairs for breakfast.

"Come on, Prongs, Tom won't hold breakfast forever!" Sirius Black grouses at his best friend, James Potter, "Quit weeping over that letter and let's go!"

"You're just bitter and jealous because you haven't received any love letters this summer," James smugly teases Sirius, finally setting the letter aside. Sirius rolls his eyes, but doesn't argue – they both know who holds the honor of most loved letters received, and it was not James Potter. "It's not my fault that I'm better looking, smarter, and infinitely more refined than you are."

"Don't let my mother hear you say that," Sirius tries to joke, but there is a darkness behind the words that belie the lightness of the sentiment.

His attention completely off the letter now, James looks at his friend in sympathy. "Have you heard from the old biddy lately?"

A sharp shake of Sirius's head is his answer. "No, and hopefully it'll stay that way, then. It's not like I've sent anything her way, either."

"Probably for the better, mate," James nods, clapping his friend on the back. As they walk down the stairs, James stops short, causing Sirius to crash into him. This creates an unfortunate domino effect, and the two young men end up falling down the stairs together.

"James! What was that?" Sirius yells, shoving at James as he scrambles to his feet. When he realizes that James is paying him no attention whatsoever, he let's his eyes follow his friend's gaze. 'Well, hello! Evans finally got some curves. Old boy will really be a goner now!'

"Lily!" James exclaims, and to the surprise of both boys, she does not turn around. James glances at Sirius, frowning until Sirius shrugs his confusion. Sighing, James presses forward, reaching out to grab Lily by the arm. To his shock (and Sirius's utmost amusement), Lily whirls around with her wand drawn, and before he has time to realize this is in fact _not_ Lily Evans, the wand of the girl is at his throat. "Whoa, what the hell…?"

The girl's eyes widen dramatically as she stares at James, and a hand flies to her throat as she takes a step back, grip on the wand far shakier now. She sputters something incoherently, her mouth opening and closing several times more with no sound coming out. Not sure what to do, Sirius reaches out and touches her lightly on the arm. "Are you okay, miss?"

Her pretty brown eyes fly to him, and to his dismay, fill with tears and something closely akin to horror. "You – oh, my," she cringes, seeming to come back to herself as she squares her shoulders and blinks away the tears. "I'm sorry, I wasn't expecting to be accosted while waiting for my morning tea."

The strange girl is so obviously _trying_ to play it cool and act relaxed that it immediately raises Sirius's alert. If he were in his dog form, he was sure he'd be able to smell her fear. Hell, it was practically there now. "Do we know you?" he asks, because why else would she be acting this way, staring at them like she was afraid she'd never see them again? Or that it was a horrible mistake that she was seeing them period.

"N-no, you don't," she assures him, giving them a small smile as she turns back to the counter, climbing to sit on one of the barstools. She's far too short for it, so her legs dangle above even the higher rung on the stool, which Sirius manages to find somehow endearing. "I'm sorry for drawing my wand," she says lightly without looking at either of them, "But like I said, I'm not used to being manhandled. And with all that's going on…"

"Right," Sirius agrees while exchanging a puzzled glance with James, "So, who are you, anyway? I've never seen you before, but you must be of Hogwarts age. Oh, no – you aren't a squib, are you?"

She laughs at that, chancing a shy glance at him. "No, I'm not. I've been schooled out of the country up 'til now, but due to some changes in my family, I'll be starting at Hogwarts shortly."

After another shared look, the boys take seats on either side of her. "Well, then you're lucky to have met us, Miss…?"

"Watson," she says softly, almost as if she were testing it out herself, Sirius thought, "Ginevra Watson. Oh, but no one calls me Ginevra, of course. Ginny is fine."

"Ginevra," James smiles, drawing her attention, "That's a pretty name."

"For a beautiful girl," Sirius chimes in, and she lets out a surprised giggle even as she rolls her eyes at the shameless flirting, "May I be the first to welcome you to Hogwarts?"

She blushes under his intense stare, but gives him a warm smile. "You may. And thank you. I was a little worried that I'd not know anyone until I got there. Perhaps the two of you could fill me on what to expect." She pauses, frowning. "Oh, I'm sorry, I don't mean to intrude, of course. I'm sure you both have far better things to do than talk about boring, old school with me."

Motioning the waitress over, Sirius glances at James behind her back. His friend still has something of a gobsmacked expression on his face, and Sirius is sure he's still taken aback by the girl's slight resemblance to Lily. Honestly, if the hair weren't red, there'd be no comparison to Evans. "I for one have nothing better to do," he assures her, smiling what he hopes is his most charming smile, "Not that I can think of anything that would be better than spending the day with the most beautiful girl in the city."

To his delight and her embarrassment, as evidenced by the blush that spreads across her cheeks, down her neck, and oh, how he'd love to know how far down it goes, she snorts her amusement at his cheesy line. As she claps her hand over her mouth, both he and James whoop in amusement. "Ah, Sirius, you've broken her already," James jokes, reaching behind Ginny to slug him on the arm, "Good going, you prat!"

"I cannot believe – well," Ginny says stiffly, standing up and backing away, "It was nice to…not meet either of you, since you never did introduce yourselves. But it was nice to meet you anyway. Perhaps I'll see you around Hogwarts at some point in time. Have a lovely day, gentlemen."

"Ah, Ginevra, don't leave!" Sirius exclaims, reaching out to catch her tiny hand in his, "Please, stay. We'll stop teasing."

James snorts at this, but Ginny manages to express her disbelief in a more ladylike scoff. "Don't lie to the girl, Siri," James chides him, a little wounded when Ginny can barely manage a stiff smile at him before looking quickly away. It's not often that girls – aside from Lily Evans – don't fall for his charm. "We want her to be our friend, after all." He taps her on the shoulder to get her attention, holding his hand out. Sirius doesn't let go of the hand she's holding despite her efforts to tug it away, so after a glare at his friend, she places her other hand in his. "James Potter, Ginevra Watson. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Her smile is far more genuine now, and she doesn't seem so…repulsed by him anymore. A slight comfort, but at the rate he's progressing, she'll be under his charms in no time. Sirius mock glares at his friend before turning Ginny's attentions back to him. "And I am Sir Sirius Black, your knight in shining armor."

Amusement lights her face, and she tucks her hair behind her ear before leaning towards him. "If your reaction time to me pulling my wand on your friend is anything to go by, perhaps I'd do better being my own knight, hmm?"

"She's got you there, Siri, mate!" James crows with laughter, practically doubling over at the joke at his best friend's expense, "So much for top marks in defense, eh? You can see how much those are worth!"

Sirius blushes at the teasing, but manages to shrug it off rather quickly. "Oh, Miss Watson, you do wound me. Are you sure you aren't out of school already?"

"No, I'll be a seventh year now," she smiles sweetly, finally succeeding in wrenching her hand free, "What year are you? Fifth?"

"Ha!" James laughs, clapping Sirius on the back, "Oi, Ginevra, if I weren't already in love, you might've just stolen my heart!"

She rolls her eyes. "Well, lucky for me then that you're already otherwise occupied," she replies tartly, freezing a little when a laughing Sirius slings an arm over her shoulder. Ducking out from under him, she steps back. "It really was lovely to meet both of you, but I have things to do today. Perhaps we'll run into one another again."

They let her leave this time, exchanging amused glances with one another as she practically runs up the stairs to her room. Sirius stares after her, feeling the loss of her presence in a way he couldn't have ever imagined. "This year might be interesting for more than just being our final year, eh, mate?"

"If Hogwarts most notorious bachelor finally snags himself a girlfriend, then yeah, I'd say this will be a pretty interesting year," James cheerfully agrees, thinking on his girl, and how much fun it would be to double date, providing this Miss Ginevra Watson did not end up a Slytherin. And also providing that he finally gets _his_ girl.

"To redheads," Sirius smiles absently, holding up the cup of tea that had been set in front of him.

"Definitely," James grins, "To redheads. About time you figured that one out, mate!" He pauses, taking a more serious look at his friend. "You really do like her, don't you?"

Sirius just shrugs. "She's very attractive, what's not to like? Well, having a wand drawn on me was a little off-putting, but other than that – no, she's still strange. What do you think her deal is?"

James rolls his eyes. "Honestly, do you care? She's bloody gorgeous, and you wanted her. Do yourself a favor for once in your life, and go for her!"

"I can't," Sirius sighs, shaking his head, "I – things are too messed up right now with the war and my mother and Regulus. I've got other things I have to worry about. Not all of us can live the carefree life that you have, Prongs!"

"That's a shite reason," James declares, shoving Sirius hard enough to make him touch his foot down to regain balance on the stool, "A pretty little girl like that, so obviously not the Death Eater type – wouldn't that be a great way to stick it to your family?"

"And that's a pretty shite reason to go after her, don't you think?" Sirius counters, glaring at his friend. If there was one thing about him that James just couldn't understand, it was his family. He got it to a certain point, and he was certainly empathetic about it, but he didn't really understand.

James just shakes his head at his friend's stubbornness. It's not like he was buying it for even a second, after all. Sirius had _never_, not once in the six years James had known him shown that much interest in a girl. He'd lusted after girls, chased them, had them, but he never looked at any of them the way he looked at Miss Watson. Since James was nothing if not a good friend, he was going to do what he could to help his friend get what he wanted. Or in this case, who.

Ginny could not believe it. Of all the rotten luck in the world, hers had to manifest itself in the form of James Potter and…Sirius Black. She could've handled seeing James alone, she knew that. It wouldn't have been easy, if only because of the incredible resemblance between him and his son, but she'd have been able to do it. But Sirius, oh, the joy and pain and sadness and longing just crushed her, and she'd acted like a right prat because of it.

He was alive here, and a part of her had wanted to latch onto him and never let go. Not only because he was here and warm and whole, but because he was familiar, and somehow, _hers_. Suddenly, Sirius Black of all people was her most real link to the her past or future or whatever it would be considered. And she had wanted to reach out for him and hold him until he held her back.

It was such a blow to see him like this; so young and carefree and innocent. Handsome, or even beautiful. When she knew him in the future, he was so different, so much older and haggard, but there was so much about him that was clearly the same. The impish light that so frequently shown in his eyes when he was teasing her or one of the others was here, too, and brighter than ever. He had the same toothy grin that made her want to smile back at him.

A sense of horrified heartbreak settled over her as she realized that she _knew_ the tragic fates of those two boys down there. She knew what horrible things they'd go through, and she knew how they'd both die. She knew about Sirius's horror-filled time in Azkaban, and she knew that James would not survive to see his child grow up.

It wasn't fair. How could she go to school with them, probably end up in Gryffindor with them, when she knew all this? Professor McGonagall was wrong, she could _not_ do this. She wouldn't be able to look at Dumbledore and know that Severus Snape, who would be her fellow student, would murder him in cold blood. Who could just go on as normal, when she knew how awful life would get for all these people? How soon it would end for some of them?

"How am I supposed to act like everything is normal when I know that they're going to die?" she whispers to herself as she curls up into a tiny ball in the center of her bed, "I can't do it."

But she didn't really have much choice in the matter now, did she? She was here, and there were things she was tasked with, and she had to do her best. McGonagall gave her carte blanche to do her best to change anything she could (short of telling people she was from the future), so maybe she could do it. Maybe if she got close enough to Sirius and James she could find ways to change the awful fates that are awaiting them.

Of course, that was obviously easier said than done. How was she supposed to do it without telling them anything? 'Um, by the way, James, on October 31, 1980, you might want to make sure the locks on your doors are extra secure!' It was practically impossible to warn them of the dangers they'll face without explicitly spelling it out for them.

Unless she could get to Pettigrew. If she could prove to his friends that he is the rat his animagus form would suggest, then maybe everything would be changed just because of that. It might not be much to go, but it was a start. And oh, if she could do it, the difference she could make in Harry's life would be unfathomable.

How could she, though? If she didn't make the right changes per McGonagall's memory, how could she do it this time? Didn't that mean she would fail again? How would she bear it? How would she be able to stand it if she went back to her time, and Sirius was dead, and Harry was still parent and godfather-less?

How would se be able to live with herself?

But she really couldn't think like that right now. She couldn't afford to waste her time worrying about not succeeding when there were still so many things to figure out. Taking deep breaths to collect herself, she squares her shoulders and strengthens her resolve to do better. To make some things right. And at the very least, she'd try her very best.

She'd start with Pettigrew, as she really didn't see another option. And she'd do her best to befriend McGonagall, and help her however she could. She knows that she was able to do that before, and after witnessing the scene in Dumbledore's office, she would've wanted to do it now without having known that she would. Or did. However that works.

Part of her was scared to form friendships with people here; when she left, she'd be leaving them. As hard as it has been since Harry broke up with her, at least she's still able to see him, to have contact with him. The relationship didn't just disappear altogether. When she leaves here, she'd never see most of them again. In that sense, McGonagall would be her safest relationship; she'd have it when she got back.

The rest of them were going to be difficult, though. Sirius? Her heart is already clenching at the thought of getting close to him and going back to a world where he has died. And Harry's parents; as if their story wasn't heartbreaking enough, she'd have to get to know them and think of Harry and his loss. It wasn't going to be easy, but she supposes that no one said it would.

There was a small, traitorous part of her brain – or maybe it was her heart – that whispered about how too many changes might just move Harry out of her reach forever, but she was doing her best to ignore that. That kind of selfishness just wouldn't do now, and she couldn't indulge in her personal worries. Like McGonagall said, they'd broken up, and she didn't have any kind of hold on him. And if this separation – not just physical anymore – was going to be a long one, then who knew if he'd wait for her?

She couldn't think of that now. If she can't be with him, then maybe she can make things better for him. And if that changed things for her, if it changed her place in his life, then that's just how it would be. She could deal with it, if she knew he was happy. She could, because all she wants for him is his happiness. And maybe she'd just have to accept that that happiness wouldn't come from her.

After gathering her money pouch which had been stocked with more galleons than she'd ever be able to spend, Ginny changes into Muggle clothing and leaves the room. She decided that she'd like to get some more Muggle clothing to wear under her robes, at least on the weekend. And the summer before last, after spending a lot of time with Hermione looking at Muggle magazines, she'd developed quite the penchant for Muggle exercise. It only took one morning run before she realized that there was a very valid reason that Muggle women jogged in those small, constrictive outfits. At least here her mother can't act shocked and scandalized over what she wears. That's got to be a bonus.

To her dismay, when she walks down the stairs, she finds that Sirius and James are still there, drinking tea and playing a game of Wizard's chess. Cursing her brilliantly red hair, she ducks her head and tries to sneak out without them noticing her. Her luck has never been that good, though, and James is up off his stool making his way over to her before her foot even hits the bottom step.

"Ah, Miss Ginevra, you're back for more fun with us, eh?" he grins, watching Sirius bristle at the way he fawns over, "Come have a spot of tea with us?"

"I can't," she sighs, surprised to feel a tiny bit regretful about it, "I have to go to Gringott's, and then I'd like to go into Muggle London for some shopping."

A huge grin spreads easily over James' face. "Padfoot, get over here," he calls, waving at him to emphasize his point. When his friend gets there, he smiles hugely at him. "Miss Watson is going into Muggle London. She probably needs an escort, don't you think?"

Sirius nods his agreement, winking at Ginny. "Oh, yes. Dangerous times, these are, and a lovely young lady such as yourself shouldn't be wandering around alone."

"I'm sure I'll be fine," Ginny bites out, resisting the urge to remind him of how fast she had her wand pulled on James just a short while ago.

"Come now, how well do you know your way around Muggle London?" James asks, trying to cajole her into accepting their escort. She rolls her eyes at the attempt. "Oh. Are you Muggleborn?"

"Who cares?" Sirius cries, reaching out to grab her hand, "Let us come with you. We'll take you out for lunch at this great little pub, and we'll go along with whatever shopping you need to do! It'll be fun, right, James?"

James chuckles, reaching out to cuff his friend on the shoulder. "Save the begging for Padfoot times," he teases his friend, earning a dark scowl before he turns back to Ginny, "He's right, though. It'll be fun."

Thinking quickly, Ginny has to admit to herself that it would be a good way to get know them better. She'll need to establish a rapport with them both if she ever expected to get them to see Pettigrew for what he is, so maybe this would be a good start. Hesitantly looking up and locking gazes with Sirius, she nods. "I – I think I'd like that," she confesses, blushing slightly, "I have to admit, I'm not very familiar with London, aside from Diagon Alley."

"That settles it then!" Sirius grins, swinging the hand of hers that he still held, "You're going to love us by the time we're done with you today, Ginevra Watson!"

And all of a sudden, she was afraid of just that.


	3. Making the Bond

A/N: The chapters are getting longer, and will possibly continue to do so. Hopefully that is a good thing! Thank you for reading, and if you've taken the time to comment, I do appreciate it!

**Chapter Three – **_**Making the Bond**_

For Ginny, the next couple of days passed in a blurry whirlwind of fun and adventure with the dastardly duo of Sirius and James. They were a great way to get settled into the new time period she was experiencing, and they never failed to have her laughing her head off. By the time September first rolled around, she almost felt like she'd known them forever.

Of course, that was before they ran off to meet Remus and Pettigrew, effectively ditching her. She wanted to be mad at them, but that was hard when she knew that they missed their friends, even if one of them was a cowardly traitor. They did promise to save a spot in their compartment for her, though, so at least she'd have people to sit with. Even if she was faced with the indignity of sitting around the platform completely alone while everyone else seemed to have people there seeing them off.

"Your family not interested in seeing you off either?" a quiet voice asks her. She glances up, finding a somewhat familiar looking young man standing in front of her. He was probably a fifth or sixth year, if she had to make a guess.

"My family couldn't be here today," she answers, equally quiet as she shifts her gaze back to the train in front of her, "Even if they wanted to."

He looks at her intently before extending his hand. "The name's Black. Regulus Black."

Her breath seems to catch slightly in her throat as she reaches out to take his hand. So this is Sirius's brother, Slytherin extraordinaire. Death Eater, or at the very least, future Death Eater. She remembers hearing about him from Sirius the summer before her fourth year when they all stayed at Grimmauld Place. "I'm Ginny Watson."

"You're new here," he comments idly, and she can tell it isn't a question, "What house are you intending on being sorted into?"

She crinkles her forehead, feigning ignorance. "You can choose which house you want to be in? I was under the impression that it was chosen for you."

"Ah, been reading 'Hogwarts: A History', no?" he grins, and for a split second, she can actually see Sirius in him, but it is gone as quickly as the smile itself is, "For the record, people have been known to influence the Sorting Hat."

"A hat? How quaint," she remarks lightly, but he doesn't laugh. He doesn't have much of an outward reaction at all, actually. She was very unsure of what to make of him, and she was infinitely relieved to glance in Sirius's direction and catch his eye. His face tightens at the sight of his brother, and he immediately starts pushing his way through the crowd to get to them.

Regulus looks over at her again, not noticing Sirius stomping towards them. "Perhaps you'll be a Slytherin, with me. It is the best house, after all. Perhaps if you mention an interest when you're wearing the hat, you'll get lucky."

Before she can answer, Sirius is there, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her into his side. Completely unsurprising to Ginny, the rest of the Marauders have followed him, intensely interested in the goings on. James actually winks at her before Sirius starts in on his brother. "Is this berk bothering you, Gin?"

"Bugger off, traitor," Regulus hisses, his face clouding over angrily at his brother's show of possession, "This conversation has nothing to do with you!"

"I beg to differ, _brother_," Sirius growls, tightening his grasp on Ginny, who is beginning to feel like a toy being fought over, "Ginevra and I have become friends the past few days, and if you are harassing her in any way, it has much to do with me." Turning towards Ginny, he puts his hands on her shoulder. "You're okay?"

She nods, unable to keep herself from staring into his eyes. "Yeah, I'm fine, Siri. We were just talking."

After one last searching look, he glances over her shoulder at Regulus. "Well, Reggie, why don't you slither off now. I saw your boyfriend earlier. Snape was looking pretty lonely without you."

"Bloody hell!" Regulus exclaims, glaring fiercely at his older brother, "Watch what you say, filthy blood traitor! How dare you imply that?"

"Does the truth hurt?" Sirius taunts, winking at Ginny when she unconsciously takes a step closer to him.

"Maybe this isn't the place for this," Ginny suggests quietly, moving slightly out of Sirius's grasp to turn and look at both of them, "There are a lot of people watching." She reaches out and squeezes Sirius's arm. "Don't you ruin my first day at a new school, Sirius Black!"

After another minute of glaring at his brother, he turns back to her, smiling in the boyishly charming manner she was becoming accustomed to. "No, I wouldn't do that," Sirius assures her, "C'mon, then. We'll get your trunk stowed on the train, and go grab a compartment. Everyone's said their goodbyes, right?"

The last was directed to James, Remus, and Pettigrew, who all nod, eyes still wide after watching the confrontation. James was actually fingering his wand, looking like he was itching for Regulus to give him a reason to use it. Remus was shifting his careful gaze between James and Sirius, and Pettigrew looked vaguely confused.

"Good, let's go then," Sirius barks out, reaching down to grab one end of Ginny's trunk. She moves to grab the other side, but James beats her to it.

"Now, now, Miss Watson, we cannot have a pretty thing like you carrying your own trunk, can we? What kind of gentlemen would we be?"

She snickers at that, shaking her head playfully. "Since you aren't gentlemen at all, it really is a moot point, James."

"She's got your number," Remus says lightly, watching her carefully. She gets the uncomfortable feeling that he's sizing her up and that he could probably see things that others wouldn't. She should've expected it; his skills of perception were astounding when he was older, so it stood to reason he'd have had them all along.

"Moony, this is Ginevra Watson. You can call him Moony or Remus, Gin," James introduces them. Ginny flashes him a wide smile as she shakes his hand, studying him for differences as covertly as she can. "And that over there, hiding behind Pads, is Peter, also known as Wormtail."

Ginny stiffens, and the hand still in Remus's clenches, earning an odd look from him. She shakes it off, but does not offer Pettigrew her hand. "Nice to meet both of you," she says, smiling at Remus.

"Likewise," Remus nods, his gaze on her still shrewdly assessing, "How did you meet these two miscreants?"

"She just got lucky, Moony," James grins, putting an arm over her shoulder. He's looking across the platform, not really paying much attention to the rest of them. "Look, Lily is here," he whispers almost reverently.

Ginny follows his gaze, eager to get her first glimpse of Harry's mother. To her surprise, the young woman is looking their way with Harry's eyes, and a slightly stricken look on her face. Guessing what the problem is, Ginny shrugs out from under James's arm. "I don't think she cares for you doing that," Ginny whispers to him, and he blinks down at her in surprise.

His face lights up, and the other three boys groan their dismay. "Great," Sirius mutters, "Now it'll be 'Evans this, Evans that' the whole ride to Hogwarts. I was hoping we'd at least make it to the feast before he started mooning over her this year."

"That was thoroughly optimistic of you," Remus comments dryly, his intense perusal of Ginny apparently forgotten, "You should've known that wasn't going to happen."

"A man can dream," Sirius grins cheekily, and Ginny can't help but smile in return.

"Who is a man?" Pettigrew chimes in, glancing around Sirius. To Ginny's relief, he seemed uncomfortable around her (which she attributed more to her female status than anything personal), and didn't appear to have an interest in any personal interaction. That would make things easier, she figured, if she didn't have to talk to him much or get to know him.

Sirius rolls his eyes at the rest of them over Peter's question. "Not you, Wormtail. So don't worry about it."

"What've you got in here, Gin?" James grunts, shifting his hold on the trunk, "Don't tell me you're a seer!"

She blinks at him in confusion. "Erm, no, why would you think that?"

"Because I don't know anything you'd bring to Hogwarts that would weigh as much as a crystal ball, and that is clearly all that is packed in here!"

"No divination jokes, James," Remus groans tiredly, "They are singularly unfunny and should be below you."

Ginny smiles, "Well, I'd have to agree with, erm, Remus on that." It's awkward for her to call him by his given name now. "Definitely not funny."

James just shrugs, unperturbed by the criticism as he stares at Lily Evans. "She's even more beautiful than she was in June! Do you see that, Pads?"

"Hadn't noticed," Sirius utters dryly, and Ginny wonders if he isn't a little bored with James's infatuation with Lily. To her understanding, it went on over many years, and probably got tiresome for their friends. "Come on, this thing is heavy. Let's go snag a compartment."

The others agree, and they file onto the train. Ginny brings up the rear with Remus, who softly questions her transfer to Hogwarts. "You're new, or else you've changed an awful lot from what I remember of anyone before?"

She manages a pained smile at that. "Yes, I'm new. Circumstances within the family have forced me to finish the remainder of my schooling here."

"Oh," he nods, understanding that it was a touchy subject written on his face, "Well, then. Welcome to Hogwarts. It appears you won't have trouble making friends and fitting in."

"I hope not," she laughs, drawing Sirius's gaze to her, "It would be nice to have people to count on while I'm here."

Remus nods, watching Sirius thoughtfully. It didn't take a genius to realize that his friend was smitten. He laughs to himself. "Well, I really don't think that will be a problem at all for you. In fact, it rather appears that you've already found yourself a couple of them."

Her face lights up at that, and Remus can see how his friend would become so infatuated in such a short time. She was a lovely looking girl; hopefully she had a personality that would stand up to Padfoot's. "I suppose that I was lucky to meet them," she remarks lightly, grinning at him, "They've been very nice to me."

"Well, I suppose there is a first time for everything," Remus chuckles, shaking his head, "'Nice' isn't usually the first adjective applied to those two, you know. Conceited, arrogant, yes, but not nice."

She shrugs. "Well, I never said they weren't those things; but I think they're nice, too. At least, they have been to me." She sighs. "And it was at a time when I needed it."

So quietly that she almost doesn't hear him, he asks, "What happened to your family? Was it you-know-who?"

"How did you - ?" she blinks in surprise, tears springing unbidden to her eyes, even though she hasn't truly lost family to Voldemort yet. It just happened to feel like it at the moment.

"There just seemed to be more to your story than you were letting on," he shrugs, his face pulled into a gentle frown of sympathy, "There's just something about you, and it seemed like there was really something to your story. Something you weren't saying."

Feeling a little irritated with the depth of his perception, she snaps, "So you took it upon yourself to act – act like some High Inquisitor and question me?" The insult has no meaning to him, but it somehow makes her feel a little better. "It is not any of your business."

He shrugs. "My apologies. I just thought that you were someone I could rel – anyway, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have overstepped my bounds."

Neither realized that they had stopped in front of the compartment the other three boys had entered until Sirius pops his head out. "Are you two going to stand there all day or come in?" he asks, eyeing Remus suspiciously, "Come on, Gin. I saved you a seat."

"Thanks," she murmurs, reaching up to massage her temples as the beginning of a headache comes on.

"What'd you do, Moony?" Sirius whispers to his friend, blocking the door so he can't follow Ginny into the compartment, "Why'd you upset her?"

"I just asked about her family," Remus shrugs, unsure what to say. It hadn't been his intention to upset her; he just sensed a struggle in her that was somehow similar to his own. "I didn't mean to stir anything up."

Sirius eyes him stonily for a minute before relaxing into his usual carefree attitude. "Of course you didn't, mate! I'm just…"

"A little protective?" Remus supplies with a cheeky grin, "Don't worry, you don't have to explain it. It is rather obvious that you fancy her. Why, I think even Wormtail might have noticed."

"It's not that bad, is it?" Sirius blinks, aghast. The running joke among them was how slow Peter was to catch onto anything. If he'd noticed, surely Ginny had noticed as well.

"Close," Remus grins good-naturedly, shoving his friend into the compartment, "Come on then, the train'll be leaving soon."

Sirius nods, taking his place beside Ginny. On her other side was James, who was watching the door intently; all of them knew he was hoping Evans would happen by. Ginny smiles at Sirius when he glances her way before pulling out a book and opening it over her lap. Remus does the same, but stares out the window rather than read.

"Can't wait for the trolley lady to come around," Peter enthuses, rubbing his fat little hands together greedily – or so it seemed to Ginny, "Mum didn't have time this morning to pack anything, and it's a long way off 'til the feast."

"Always thinking of food," James clucks at him, "You know what I can't wait for?"

All three boys roll their eyes, chanting as one, "For Lily Evans to come by." Ginny looks up from her textbook at this, laughing. Continues Sirius, "Really, mate. It's enough to make a bloke ill."

James just shrugs, grinning widely. "This is going to be the year, I can feel it. I know that you lot think I'm a berk for chasing her this long, but it'll be worth it."

"That's rather sweet," Ginny sighs, earning an anguished groan from Sirius, who mimes gagging himself. She elbows him lightly in the side. "Well, you have to admit that his persistence will probably pay off. Really, James, I don't think any girl in her right mind would hold out much longer. Especially since you're so obviously sincere about it."

The other three boys look at her as though she is slightly crazy, but James looks appreciative. "I hope so," he sighs, before shaking himself and puffing out his chest slightly, "I mean, of course she will see reason!"

They all laugh at that. Remus catches Ginny's eye across the compartment, offering her a tentative smile. At his earnest look, she knows she can't stay mad at him. Actually, she knows she has no real reason to be mad at him, so she smiles back. His grin widens in relief, and she can't remember ever seeing him smile so big. Maybe if she changed enough, he would have more reason to smile like this in the future.

"You nervous 'bout the sorting?" James asks her after nudging her to get her attention, "It'll be fine. I know you won't end up in Slytherin, so that's the biggest problem taken care of."

"I hear that you can tell the Hat where to put you," she says calmly, her gaze swinging towards Sirius, "That's what your brother told me."

Sirius's visage darkens at the mention of his brother. "In case you hadn't noticed, he's not exactly a conversation topic that I enjoy. At all. _Ever_."

Ginny rolls her eyes, glancing out the window. "Yes, that wasn't painfully clear or anything by the way you treated him earlier."

"The way I – what about how he treated me? I hadn't realized you were having such a good time with him. If I had, I'd have left you alone," Sirius says stiffly, actually moving away from her, "The way you looked at me, I got the wrong impression."

"I didn't mean it like that," she sighs tartly, not noticing the other three boys staring at them, "It's called sarcasm, Black. You should look it up sometime."

"I know what sarcasm is," he growls, mostly to cover his previous hurt, "I practically invented it."

She laughs aloud at that. "You, Sirius Black, are pathetically full of yourself. However do you hold that big head up all day?"

"Strong neck," he quips, smiling at her, partially in relief. He wasn't sure why her opinion was so important to him – or how it had become so important so fast – but it was. He wanted her to think highly of him.

"Gag me," James mutters, glancing down at Ginny's book and double-taking, "Tell me you are not reading ahead in your textbooks! Ginevra Watson! Do you _want_ to be a Ravenclaw?"

She giggles again, rolling her eyes. "I'm just flipping through it. And really, would that be so terribly wrong?"

Remus shakes his head earnestly. "There's nothing wrong with that at all."

"I suppose not, Professor," she slips, a blush highlighting her cheeks at her error, "Oh, I just meant – "

"It's fine," Remus says, looking at her oddly, "It wouldn't be so bad, being a teacher. I don't think."

Sirius snorts at that. "Not that bad? Imagine a few hundred kids a day cycling through your classes that are just like us. Not that bad," he chuckles, glancing around Ginny to share an amused look with James. "That's a good nickname, though, Gin. We'll have to use it."

"I'm so honored," she deadpans, keeping her smirking gaze fixed on the book she isn't really reading.

All of a sudden the train started jerking and lurching to a stop. For one terrified second, Ginny was thrust back to her second year when the dementors attacked the train then, ironically enough looking for the man sitting next to her and gripping her hand when he notices her distressed. The dementors had dredged up memories – real or imagined, she never knew – of Tom, of course, and she'd give anything not to go through that again.

Standing up, she pulls her wand out, trying to ignore the fact that she is shaking like a leaf. "Gin?" James calls, puzzled, "Are you okay? I'm sure it's nothing to be worried about. Probably just an engine problem."

"This is a magical train," Ginny grits out, her grip tightening on her wand, "There shouldn't be engine problems! Something is wrong!"

"Hey, Ginevra, I'm sure it's fine," Sirius says, trying to sound soothing, something of a foreign thing for him. The door to the compartment slides open, and thanks to Ginny's influence, not one, but _four_ wands are trained on the gaping Lily Potter. Pettigrew was still sitting there with his gob hanging open, Ginny noticed bitterly.

"Quite the welcome," Lily mutters, staring at the three marauders and one small girl standing with their wands drawn on her, "What is the matter with you people?" She glares at them, not sparing any of them. "I'd expect it from James and Black, but you, Remus, I'd have thought better."

James sputters incoherently for a second until Ginny claps him on the back, shooting him an annoyed look. "Look, I don't know you," Ginny sighs, trying to shake off some of her nerves, "But I'm guessing that this train doesn't just stop like that very often. And considering the way things are in the world these days, maybe a little caution should be exercised."

Lily stares at Ginny, barely disguised dislike written all over her face. Ginny sighs inwardly, letting herself think about how she'll fix that for a spare second. "I – I'm sure I don't know what you mean," Lily stammers angrily.

"Voldemort ring a bell?" Ginny bites out, ignoring the gasps of her five companions, "Death Eaters? You can bury your head as deep in the sand as you need to, but I don't get to have your delusions. You want to know why I'm here? Why I'm here and why I am not with my family anymore? Because of _him_. That's why. And I'm not stupid, or naïve, enough to think that that's the end of that. And you'd do well to realize that he's out there, his followers are out there, and they'll do whatever they can to hurt every one of us!"

"Ginny," James murmurs, reaching out to lay a hand on her shoulder, "Why didn't you tell me and Siri about your family?"

She blinks, her wand arm lowering slightly as she glances over at him. For a minute she doesn't know what he's talking about, but quickly realizes that they're all under the assumption (definitely encouraged by her) that her family was murdered by Voldemort and his followers. "I – it isn't exactly something that one likes to talk about," she shrugs, feeling a tiny bit ashamed over all her lies.

Sirius approaches her other side, offering her his goofiest grin. "Come on, love, sit back down. It's okay." At that, the train starts back up, and he flashes her another grin. "See? Everything is fine."

The scared tension that had held her rigid during the confrontation leaves her in a rush, and her now weak legs wobble slightly. "I'm sorry," she whispers, wrapping her arms around her middle and moving away from Sirius and James, "I'm going to take a walk."

"No, Gin, don't go," Sirius calls after her, glaring at Evans when she scowls at Ginny, "Come on, love, stay here with us. Or I'll come with you?"

"I'd like to be alone for a few moments," she says stiffly, not looking back. Because she knows if she looks back, all she'll want is to run into his arms and sob out her sadness and fear and grief against his chest, and she just can't do that.

As she steps out of the compartment, the train lurches again, and the lights flicker out. She flattens herself against the wall, wand out and ready. "Ginny?" Remus's quiet voice comes from the doorway of their compartment, "You want to come in now? Your walk can wait until the lights are back on."

Realizing that it would be smarter to be in the compartment with them, she nods, mostly to herself, and lets him reach out to lay a hand on her shoulder and guide her into the small room. The other four, Lily included this time, had taken their seats again. To Ginny's disappoint and Sirius's obviously disgruntlement, Lily had taken Ginny's seat. Sighing, she sits down next to Remus after making him scoot towards Pettigrew. There was no way she could sit next to him without jamming her wand through his ear.

"This is too weird," James finally mutters, breaking the uneasy silence, "The train has never behaved like this before. Maybe you're right, Gin."

"Oh, honestly, James!" Lily interrupts, shooting an irritated glare Ginny's way, "There is nothing wrong here. Just a slight train malfunction. We didn't even stop this time."

"Yes, but the lights are out," Sirius drawls out slowly, "This doesn't feel right to me either. I – " He cuts himself off, pulling out his wand. "I don't like this much."

Lily shakes her head. "I don't know why the lot of you are letting her paranoia ruin the train ride for everyone. You are being utterly ridiculous."

As the train again lurches and then grinds to a halt, Ginny casts a quick _lumos_ on her wand, unsurprised to see that even Lily Evans looks a little nervous at this point. When the screaming starts at the other end of the train, Ginny, James, and Sirius immediately jump out of their seats and Sirius even pulls his wand. Frustrated, Ginny wracks her brain, cursing herself for not paying better attention in History of Magic. How could she not remember if the Express was ever attacked during the first war? She should know that!

"What's going on?" Lily whispers shakily, cringing as the screaming gets louder, "How could this be happening?"

"This is a war!" Ginny bites out in a harsh whisper, ignoring Sirius's attempts to capture her attention, "How're you all at Defense? And what are you waiting for? Get your wands out! Out now!"

"Ginny," Remus tries to intervene even as his hand reaches for his wand, pulling it out of his pocket, "Maybe it's just a prank. We should exercise caution."

She nods, not sparing him a glance as her gaze remains fixed on the door to the compartment. "Caution is fine, but I'm going to exercise it with my wand out, thanks so much."

James whips his wand out after a particular distressed – and close – screams rings out through the train corridor. "What the bloody hell is going on out there?" he asks in a harsh whisper.

"I don't know," Sirius mutters, taking a step forward, "But I'm not waiting for it to come to us. I'm going to meet it halfway."

"No, Sirius!" five voices protest. Lily grabs his arm, gesturing angrily at him. "Don't be stupid, you can't run out there!"

"Sitting around waiting is stupid," Sirius argues, "And weren't you the one insisting that nothing is wrong, nothing is out there? Bugger off, Evans!"

Fed up, Ginny casts a silencing spell on the room. "Shut up! Let's give them a specific reason to come in here, you prats!" All of a sudden, a childish scream tears through the night, far too close to where they are for comfort. Without thinking, Ginny rushes out into the corridor, tearing down the narrow hall.

"Ginny!" Sirius and James exclaim in unison, each hesitating for only a split second before practically tripping each other as they tear out the door, hot on her heels. Sirius catches up to her first, when she stops suddenly. His breath catches in his throat as he realizes that she was right. Death Eaters were on the train, and there was probably not much they could do about it.

Hearing the shocked exclamations of James and Sirius, the rest of them creep out of the compartment with their wands drawn. Remus is fairly sure that Lily is going to die of shock when she sees that the other three are engaged in rapid-fire fighting with the Death Eaters that have apparently taken over their train. To his own shock, Ginny is faring far, far better than James or Sirius, having already disposed of three of the attackers. Before he even has a chance to join the fray, portkeys are tossed onto two of the three incapacitated Death Eaters, and all but the one are whisked off the train.

Panting, Sirius and James bend forward, resting with their hands on their knees. The fight doesn't seem to have affected Ginny the same way, Lily notices, or else the adrenaline hasn't drained from her body yet. Looking sharply at the girl, she asks the question that has been plaguing her since she realized that Death Eaters really were on the train. "How did you know?" Five sets of eyes swivel to stare at her. Even James looks reproving, something which is odd coming from him. "How did you know that Death Eaters were on the train?"

"Bugger off, Evans," Sirius bites out coldly, and for the first time, Lily believes that Sirius does not like her. She'd always thought that it had to do with James's attentions towards her, but maybe it isn't.

"It was obvious, wasn't it?" Ginny bites out, glancing around as she clutches at her side. So, maybe it was adrenaline that kept her upright. "The screams, the – that still feeling when you know things aren't right. When you've been through this before, you don't easily forget it." She shoots a cold glance Lily's way. "Are there any other personally painful questions you'd like to ask me?"

"I – I – no, of course not," Lily sighs, looking down. Remus grabs her by the arm and starts dragging her down the hallway.

When they all look at him questioningly, Remus shrugs. "We have to check for – for – "

"Wounded," Ginny finishes for him, knowing exactly what he doesn't want to say. Exactly what he doesn't want to see when they start checking the other compartments.

"Oh, no," Lily moans, tears springing to her eyes, "Do you think that there are, I mean, do you think that anyone was killed?"

Sirius rolls his eyes. "Just go find out," he barks out, glaring at the Death Eater immobilized before them, "Come on, Prongs, let's take care of this guy. I want about six more spells on him, just _in case_. And then I want to go find my brother, and see what he's been up to."

Ginny's heart goes out to Sirius. She knows how it feels to be estranged from a family member, but at least with Percy, there wasn't much worry about him turning to the Dark side. "I'll go look for wounded, too," she says quietly, moving to stand in front of Sirius, "Don't do anything that you'll regret, please. Remember, you promised to sneak me out of the castle to the little village."

He chuckles quietly at that, nodding. "Yeah, I won't – well, I won't do anything _too_ bad, right? Come on, Wormtail, you're with me. Prongs, you watch him?" Sirius asks, pointing at the incapacitated Death Eater.

"Yeah, I got it, Padfoot," James assures him, glancing at Ginny as if to include her in the sentiment, "We'll be fine here." Sirius nods, and after a searching look at Ginny, he reluctantly turns and heads down the hall.

"I should go check and make sure that all the Death Eaters did leave," Ginny sighs, her fingers whitening around her wand, "Because if there are more, then – "

"That would be bad," James finishes, nodding warily. "Look, give me a few minutes to find someone to watch _him_, and then I'll go with you. Everyone else went in pairs. The least we can do is help anyone who is injured."

She nods, knowing he's right. "Yeah, okay. Maybe we should stun him once more, for good measure. But James, I – can we leave him here? If there are students who are sympathetic to the cause – "

James groans loudly, cutting her off. "Bloody, buggering hell, you're right. We can't leave him here unattended."

"Do you have friends? Who'd watch him, I mean? I don't know anyone, and the only people I'd trust to keep him like this are off doing more important things…"

"Yeah, Longbottom will do it," James nods eagerly, thinking of the boy a year younger than them, "Let me find him." She agrees to stay there until he gets back, her wand trained on the unconscious figure in front of her. It doesn't take long to find him, a few cars down, helping a wounded first year. A wounded Muggle-born first year. James had to shake his head at that; who would attack an eleven year old girl just because her parents didn't do magic? What kind of monsters were these?

When he gets back to where he left Ginny, she offers him a cheeky grin when he raises his eyebrows at her. She's managed to bind him from head to toe in ropes, leaving only the tiniest space over the lower half of his face for breathing purposes. "Gin, this is Frank Longbottom. Frank, this is our new friend Ginevra Watson."

"Nice to meet you," he smiles easily, holding a hand out for her to shake. She does, and neither boy notices the misty smile on her face as she meets yet another person with a tragic fate in store for them. Would it never stop? She supposes that it won't. There weren't a whole lot of people who made it through war unscathed. But maybe she can help a few of them succeed.

"Likewise," she smiles, seeing so much of her friend in his face. She sighed, rubbing a hand wearily across her forehead as past memories try to encroach on her. "James, we should go."

Before he can reply, the train lurches again, and then starts to move down the tracks naturally. A few seconds later, the lights flicker back on. "Well, that must be a good sign," Frank says, but he doesn't put his wand away, and neither do Ginny or James.

James just shrugs, looking around. "Alright, mate, you've got him, so we're going to go see what else is going on. And it's not that I don't trust him, but I want to make sure Sirius hasn't hexed his brother into oblivion yet."

"Oi," Frank sighs, shaking his head, "You better hurry then. It never did take much to set any of the Blacks off."

"Bollocks," James grins, winking at Ginny, "It has never taken anything to set them off period. Not much." He glances over at Ginny. "Okay, let's go. We should check on Lily and Moony, too. There looked to be a lot of injuries. How are you with healing?"

She smiles at Frank one last time, who takes the liberty of adding yet another immobilizing spell to the Death Eater in front of them, and turns to walk out down the hall. "I'm fine. My m – mum, erm, she – she was very good with healing spells, and I was the only girl. Taught me all she knew."

They walk together, first finding Lily and Remus helping out a bunch of scared first and second years that they gathered into one compartment. "Glad you're here," Lily says to James, avoiding Ginny's eyes, "We've set up a sort of triage – it's what Muggles do."

"That ought to piss Voldemort right off," Ginny smirks, forgetting that the name was even more taboo in this time than in hers. A room full of gasps and a few sobs reminds her of that quickly enough. "Sorry, sorry," she mumbles in apology, kneeling to look at a cut above the eye of one of the children. Muttering a quick healing spell that seals the cut, she smiles in response to the child's soft 'thank you'. "You're welcome."

"Anyone else need healing?" James asks, glancing around the room even though he's more concerned about students in other compartments, "Are you two both unhurt? Have you seen anything suspicious?"

"James," Lily sighs, smiling at him tremulously as she puts a soft hand on his cheek, "It's fine. We've really got it under control. It – it is almost as if this were a warning. No one was seriously injured, even though any number could've been."

Glancing at Remus, Ginny raises her eyebrows in silent communication. To her relief, he nods in return. "James, Remus and I will go find Sirius. Why don't you help finish up with the healing?" she suggests quietly, and the grateful look he throws is more than enough for her.

Lily glances up, surprise written across her face. To Ginny's delight, the other girl gives her a grateful smile. "We'll hurry up here and come along to find you then," Lily says softly, and Ginny smiles at her in return, any earlier hostility forgotten, at least on her part. This was Harry's mum, after all, and she wanted to get to know her enough to have tons to tell Harry about when she got back.

"That was a nice thing for you to do," Remus comments lightly as they wind their way through the crowded corridors. She looks up at him blankly. "Leaving James behind so he could work with Lily. He likes her very much, in case you haven't heard Sirius take the piss out of him for it."

"Only constantly," Ginny retorts, giving him a small smile. "However, it would not be easy to miss his infatuation with her. He's not…subtle."

Remus chuckles wryly, shaking his head. "No, that is one thing he is not." They get to a corridor that is blocked by fallen trunks, and he climbs it first, then reaches down offering her his hand. She smiles as she takes it. "And what about you, Miss Watson? Have you realized that Sirius has taken quite the fancy to you?"

She rolls her eyes, fighting the blush that creeps up her neck. "I'm sure that's not the case," she counters, shaking her head as though that makes it final, "We barely know each other, and he must have tons of girls lining up to snog him. I won't be one of them."

He regards her thoughtfully before glancing into a compartment to ensure that the occupants are unhurt. "That will only have him wanting you more, Ginny."

"Well, we can't always have what we want, can we?" she says, giving him an anemic smile, "If we did, I guess I wouldn't be here."

"What do you mean, you guess?" he asks, pushing some trunks into the upper carrier and securing the lock.

She shrugs. "It's not so bad here so far. I've met nice people that I'm already terribly fond of. But my – well, anyway."

"Your family?" he asks awkwardly.

She nods, giving him a small smile. "I really miss them. My mum, especially. It would be so nice to have some of her food right now, even better than a Hogwarts feast."

He blinks at her slip. "How do you know about the Hogwarts feasts?" he asks sharply, wincing a little at how it comes out.

"Oh, I just meant that I'd heard about them," she sighs, blushing bright red, "Look, one of my brothers went there, alright? He – he had trouble, and anyway. I've heard stories." She glances over at him. "Why are you so suspicious of me? What have I done to warrant that?"

"I – I'm sorry, you're quite right," he agrees hastily, "I have no right. It just seemed so odd, that you'd speak of the feast almost as if you knew." He shakes his head. "Right, anyway, I am sorry."

She nods, looking a little relieved when the happen across Sirius, who was thankfully helping a few younger boys put things back in trunks. He grins at her as the train slows to a crawl. "Well, Miss Watson, might I be the first to say, welcome to Hogwarts?"

Surprised that they're there already, she rushes to the window. The view from the train isn't as good as the one the first years get going across the lake, but this isn't too shabby either. A genuine smile lights her face, and when Sirius stands next to her, his arm brushing against hers, she looks up at him beaming.

Maybe this wasn't going to be so bad after all.


	4. The Reacquainting

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! If I said they went a long way in terms of bolstering my desire to write this story, would more of y'all take a second to leave a little note? Pretty please?

As for the story, if it seems slow, well, it is. Not intentional, per se, but there's a lot to build up to, and relationships need to be established. But the chapters are getting longer, and hopefully there is enough heart to the characters and their relationships that it excuses the lack of action as the story grows. Thanks for reading!

**Chapter Four – **_**The Reacquainting**_

She was wrong. Dead wrong. This was going to be far worse than she'd imagined. She had to ride to the castles in the boats with the first years because Hagrid, her sweet, old friend – who obviously didn't recognize her from a thestral now – hadn't known what else to do with a new student not in her first year. To make matters worse, James and Sirius were either having simultaneous seizures or quite a fine time laughing at her. Even Remus and Lily were trying to hide their smiles at her disgruntled gesturing at the other boys, but Pettigrew still looked confused.

After Hagrid ushers the first years in, he brings her to McGonagall's attention. To no surprise of Ginny's, there is not even a hint of the emotional turmoil she knows the stern professor is suffering anywhere in her dealings with the students. Not that Ginny expected anything less. When Hagrid awkwardly pats (more like bashes, to Ginny's estimation) her on the arm, McGonagall gives him a pained smile, but that is the closest to a show of emotion that Ginny sees.

"Miss Watson, is it?" McGonagall asks her. At Ginny's nod, she continues. "Mr. Hagrid has given me your transfer papers. Everything looks in order here. I do apologize for the ride with the first years; that wasn't really necessary, but it is so seldom we get transfer students. Anyway, you can come in with me for the sorting. I don't know if anyone explained it to you, but we – "

"Oh, yes," Ginny interrupts softly, flashing a shy smile at her former and new professor, "I met a couple of your wonderful students a few days ago in Diagon Alley, and they and their friends have told me so much about Hogwarts. I'm very much looking forward to being a student here. James and Sirius speak so highly of everyone and everything."

To Ginny's amusement, McGonagall sputters a little at the idea of her being friends with those two trouble-makers. "Well, then, let's go inside. You'll be sorted first, before I bring in the new students. Tell me, does Beauxbatons Academy have a similar division of students?"

"Similar, yes," Ginny agrees, floundering slightly, "But different. We, erm, aren't really supposed to talk about it. One of those mysterious little things."

"Of course," McGonagall agrees quickly, and Ginny wonders if she'd stumbled across the right thing to say, by some miracle. "Well, then, let's get on with this. Have you really met James Potter and Sirius Black?"

Ginny almost giggles aloud at the professor's nose, slightly crinkled in distaste. "Yes, they're quite nice. They've been very good to me."

McGonagall gives her a ghost of a smile at that. "The staff has had reports from the Head Girl that you were instrumental in helping get things under control on the train. Are you alright?"

"Oh, yes," Ginny nods, a tiny bit of adrenaline bubbling resurgently through her blood at the reminder, "It was, erm, it was nothing. I – my family – well, it wasn't an unfamiliar situation for me, I'm afraid. Besides, there were many students who were quite remarkable out there."

"I'm sure there were, and Professor Dumbledore will be discussing that after dinner," McGonagall agrees, tutting briskly as she glances briefly over Ginny's doctored transcripts, "Ah, it looks as though I will be seeing you in transfiguration then, at some point. Very good, Miss Watson. You have excellent marks. It looks like we can expect great things from you."

"Thank you," Ginny smiles, her cheeks tingeing pink at the praise. McGonagall had insisted they use Ginny's own marks as not to set any bars of expectation too high or too low for her. Ginny had argued that, but lost out in the end. It seems Professor McGonagall knew what she was doing. She sighs, glancing around the entrance hall. It just wasn't the same, being here without any of her brothers or Harry or Hermione or her other friends.

Mistaking her sigh for outright grief, McGonagall lays a hand on her arm. "I'm so sorry for whatever brought you here, child. I hope that being at Hogwarts can help you in some way."

Ginny nods, unsure what to say. This woman, who she knew had just lost her own family, was trying to offer her comfort. How had Ginny ever thought the woman unfeeling in her early years? It was so clear she wasn't, and even reflecting back now, Ginny knew she never had been. "I'm nervous," she whispers, not knowing why she blurts that out, "I'm nervous to be at a new school and to be placed in a house. What if no one likes me?"

McGonagall raises an eyebrow at her. "If you've already befriend Misters Potter and Black, then I doubt you will have trouble finding more friends. All will be fine, Miss Watson. And how do you know you won't get sorted into the house your friends are in?"

"Wouldn't that just be too good to be true?"

"Perhaps it would," McGonagall agrees with a small, tightlipped smile. "Well, shall we then? I daresay that you have people out there waiting on tenterhooks to see where you are sorted. They're probably more nervous than you."

"I hope so," Ginny mutters darkly, smiling saucily when she notices McGonagall's raised eyebrows, "They were rather amused by my mode of transportation to the castle. It would serve them right if they were sweating it out. Not that I really wanted to look at one of those scaly horses all the way to the castle. Guess it was a lose-lose situation."

To her surprise, McGonagall's eyes fill with tears. They're quickly blinked away, but they were there and Ginny knows it. "I'm sorry that you could see them," she murmurs. Ginny furrows her brown, feigning confusion. "The thestrals, or the scaly horses, are only visible to those who have seen death. This was my first time to see them, actually."

"Oh, I – they're rather dreadful, aren't they?" Ginny asks, letting them both off the hook on that one, "It might've been nicer to live in blissful ignorance, I suppose."

McGonagall nods. "Yes, well, I'm sure we all feel that way. They are not a pleasant creature, and what seeing them signifies…well, then. Let's get you up to be sorted."

Ginny gives her a faint smile, wishing she could come right out and ask her professor why she sees the thestrals, but knows that's not how she needs to approach this. So she keeps quiet and bides her time, instead choosing to focus on the sorting ahead of her.

For the first time, she's rather nervous. What if the sorting goes poorly? What if, because of this harebrained scheme to go back in time and change the future, she gets sorted into Slytherin? What the hell would she do then? Shaking her head to clear it of such thoughts, she finds she can't even glance towards the Gryffindor table where she knows Sirius and James are anxiously waiting.

Both have been so convinced that she'll be a Gryffindor with them, aside from the odd teasing bits, that she's actually worried about disappointing them if something goes wrong. She wrings her hands nervously, ignoring the kindly look she receives from Dumbledore, instead choosing to focus on McGonagall. Somehow, she feels closer to the woman she never quite knew, and she trusts her more. Nonsensical, yes, she figured it was, but she didn't really care. Not when she was waiting with bated breath on the decision of a musty, old hat.

Dumbledore says something about the rarity of transfer students – she doesn't know, for she isn't really listening – and then McGonagall is putting the hat on her head, and everything shuts down as she waits for it.

"_Well, well, this is a unique situation,"_ a creaky old voice says. It takes her a minute to realize that it is the hat talking to her. She'd heard it does that, but it never even hit her head originally before proclaiming her to be Gryffindor. She knew Harry had talked it out of putting him in Slytherin, but that hadn't been an issue for her. _"My dear, a Weasley passing herself off as another? How you're fooling anyone, I do not know."_

"_Put me in Gryffindor,"_ she thinks, mentally begging the hat, _"It's where I've always been! It's where I belong!"_

The hat chuckles – how dare the blasted thing laugh at her? – taunting, _"But wouldn't you like to try something new? I don't dispute the greatness of Gryffindor, but there is greatness to be found in the other houses, too."_

"_No, Gryffindor,"_ she says stubbornly, bringing Ron to mind, _"Only Gryffindor, it is where I belong."_

"_It is where you belong, yes…but when do you belong?"_ She doesn't say anything to that, and the hat sighs heavily before belting out, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Breathing a deep sigh of relief, she passes the hat to McGonagall, who gives her a pleased yet still reserved smile. Straightening up, she walks quickly over to the table, unsurprised when the Marauders and Lily are the first to greet her. "I knew you'd be a Gryffindor with us!" James enthuses, clapping wildly after giving her a bone-breaking hug.

Remus and Peter both shake her hand enthusiastically, and Lily beams widely at her, even reaching out to give her a one armed hug. To her surprise, Sirius just winks at her, indicating the spot next to him on the bench. "I saved it for you," he murmurs in her ear, his smile different than any she'd ever seen on his face when he leans back. "I'm glad you're with us, Gin."

Unable to help it, she shivers a little at the intimacy in his approach to her. She shouldn't be…affected by him, but she can't seem to help herself. Shaking those thoughts off, she smiles at him and then the rest of them, listening half-heartedly as introductions fly around. She's sure she'll remember very few of their names, but at least she knew some of them already.

"This is great!" James enthuses, "This will definitely be our best year yet." He throws a meaningful look Sirius's way, which is steadfastly ignored. "Oh, man, Siri, you'd better schedule tryouts for the Quidditch team soon. We've got to have a seeker, and it'd be nice if it was someone who knew the top of the broom from the bottom of it this time."

"You need any chasers?" Ginny asks eagerly, blushing when Sirius's hand lands on her thigh. She shoots him a disgruntled look and moves his hand back to his own lap, but he just shoots her a cheeky grin and inches it back over towards her. "Stop that!" she hisses.

"Why?" he grins, winking at her when she shoves him, "Oi, love, don't be like that! It's inevitable, you and me. Migh' as well give into it now!"

She rolls her eyes, turning back to James. "Since he's incapable of conversing, I'll ask you: do you need any chasers?"

James sighs, glancing down at his hands. "Well, I don't know, I guess you could try out, but we've got three chasers who've been together for a few years now. It'd be hard, to match the chemistry."

Disappointed, she nonetheless waves a hand in understand. "No, no, that makes perfect sense. Don't disrupt the chemistry, by any means."

Sirius leans into her again, his warm chest pressing into her arm and shoulder. "Come riding with me tomorrow after classes, Gin."

"Oh, no, I'm sure I'll have homework to worry about," she declines, leaning away from him. Pretending to pay attention to the sorting going on in front of the head table, she swivels a little on the bench. To her dismay, Sirius fits himself right behind her. Groaning, she pulls away, bumping into Remus as she turns to face Sirius. "You know, I've been told my bat-bogey hex is the stuff of legend. If you don't want to be on the receiving end of it, I suggest you cease and desist. If you do, by all means, continue."

"Ah, Ginevra," Sirius surprises her by neither shrinking away nor laughing, but leaning in close enough to rest his chin on her shoulder, his mouth right against her jaw, "You're no fun. But we'll find a way to rectify that, no problem."

Unsure what to do without causing a scene, she pushes him off of her, glaring at him. "Well, I'll have you know, tomorrow I'll sit across the table from you."

He laughs heartily, moving away from her. "You are, without a doubt, the most wonderful girl I've ever met, Ginevra Watson." He shakes his head. "Without a doubt."

"Barmy," Remus mutters to Peter as they watch James fawn over Lily and Sirius practically molest Ginevra, "The whole lot of them."

The next morning, Ginny was up before any of the girls in her room, aside from Lily. They ignored each other at first, until Lily finally broke down and asked if Ginny wanted to go to breakfast with her, an invitation that was immediately and gratefully accepted. The two girls walked down to the great hall together, Lily 'helpfully' pointing out classrooms and the like that they passed. "Hogwarts is such a lovely school. Really, when I got my letter, I don't know what it was I pictured, but it was nothing compared to the reality. Magic is just so lovely."

"Are you Muggleborn, then?" Ginny asks, glancing at the portrait that would let her into the kitchen if she tickled the pair.

"Is that a problem for you?" Lily asks stiffly, withdrawing the tiniest bit.

"Oi, calm down, Evans. It isn't a problem for me at all. I was just curious," Ginny explains, "The way you talked about magic and Hogwarts made me think that you must've not had much experience with either prior to getting your letter. And most wizarding born children in Britain at least have some idea what the school looks like."

Lily nods, thinking over her words. "I suppose it sounds terribly naïve, yes? To have no knowledge of what the magical world is about, I mean."

Ginny glances over at her, sighing. "Not anymore than it does when pureblood wizards know nothing about the Muggle world, right?'

"Fair enough," Lily smiles, her green eyes vibrant with the life that was never quite there in Harry's that are so similar, "I'm terribly sorry about how we met yesterday. I – I rather thought that James was, erm, I thought he liked you."

"He doesn't," Ginny laughs, "Oh, I mean, he does, but not like that. I don't think he could ever like anyone _but_ you like that. He's quite focused on it, really. It's sort of endearing. Surprised you've held out so long."

"Well, he's not always Mr. Sweet and Charming," Lily sighs, her shoulders slumping tiredly, "He's bloody awful to some of my friends, he's arrogant, he's rude, he's presumptuous, and he's just – just – argh!"

Ginny smirks at her as they enter the great hall. "Are you trying to convince me, or yourself? Because he seems a nice bloke to me, and maybe he's some of those things you mentioned, but I think he'll be a good friend to have."

"I – I don't know what you mean," Lily says formally, speeding up her pace. Sighing, Ginny hurries after her. "Look, if you don't want to be my friend, if you'd rather just sit around with the boys and flirt with Sirius all the time, that's fine. That is your deal."

"No! I mean, I do want to be their friend, too, but I want to be your friend, Lily. It – that's important to me, too." She lays a hand on the other girl's arm, stopping her. "Listen, I – there are things that I can't talk about in my past. Things that I'm not ready to go into yet. So just know upfront that even I wanted to, I can't tell you everything."

Lily sighs, and they resume walking side by side again. "That's hard for me," she admits, something that Ginny had already figured out, "I'm not good at letting things go. I – I like to _know_, if you know what I mean."

"I have a friend who is very much like that," Ginny smiles as they sit down together, "You'd like her very much, I think. Well, _I _like her very much, anyway. She – oh."

"What?" Lily prods, reaching for a slice of toast, "What's the matter?"

"She was dating my brother. They were – he was – I – "

Lily stares at her for a moment, and Ginny is just sure that she'll push her. To her surprise and Lily's credit, the girl just nods. "This is one of those things you aren't ready to talk about. Very well, I understand. I'll admit that I don't like it much, but…I'm sure there is a reason you can't talk about it, and who am I to force you?"

Just as Ginny is about to thank her, the Marauders come strolling in loudly, and for just one second, Ginny can see how the arrogance and swagger can be off-putting. Luckily, she knows enough about Sirius and James to see past it, but she understands how it could be hard for someone like Lily. Before Sirius plants himself at her side, assigning himself as her tour guide for the day, she mouths a quick 'thank you' to Lily.

"Mornin', love," Sirius grins at her, snaking a piece of sausage off her plate. He glances across the table at Lily. "Evans."

"Black," she practically glares, her gaze softening nearly imperceptibly when a cheerfully smiling James sits down beside her, "Good morning, Potter."

"Good morning, everyone!" James grins, "Happy first day of school, Lily. You look lovely this morning. And Miss Watson, might I extend the same sentiment towards you."

Ginny rolls her eyes, but laughs. "One can never hear that enough, so yes, you may." She glances around. "Erm, is there a trick to finding out what classes a person has? Do you all have your timetables already?"

Lily jumps in to answer this. "Oh, no, Professor McGonagall, our head of house, will pass them out to us this morning. Actually, it should be any minute now. I'm so excited, I do hope we have charms today or tomorrow, don't you?"

The boys all ignore her, but Ginny nods earnestly. "Charms is my favorite class. Well, one of them, anyway."

"What else do you like? Potions is another of my favorites; it is so interesting, and it's one thing I can really speak with my father about. He's a chemist, you see, so he understands the general principles as they are rather the same."

As Lily keeps talking, James keeps hanging on every word, and Peter tries to interrupt, Sirius leans over, whispering into her ear, "You know what my favorite class is?"

Ginny glances over him. "Lunch?" she asks dryly.

"Oi, you're a funny one, aren't you, Gin?" Sirius smirks, leaning closer to her, "But no, that would not be correct. No gold cauldron for you."

"Then what is it?"

He winks at her. "Maybe I'll tutor you in it sometime." She huffs in exasperation, leaning away from him. "Come on, love, you know you think I'm hilarious."

Shaking her head, she ignores him when she sees McGonagall approaching the table, timetables in hand. "Behave yourself; there's a teacher approaching."

"Who, Minerva? Please, she and I go way back," Sirius brags, ignoring the incredulous looks from his friends.

"I see," Ginny smirks, "Should we put that familiarity to the test, then? That could be fun, perhaps she'd share some personal information about you with the rest of us, yes?"

He leers at her, leaning in close again. "You assume that I'm bluffing, but for all you know, I could be on very intimate ground with our esteemed head of house."

She laughs out loud at that. "Oh, Sirius Black, you are such a cad! I guess that shouldn't surprise me; you always have been."

Everyone around them looks at her oddly, Sirius included. He frowns, leaning back. "What do you mean 'always'? We met three days ago."

"Well, of course," she tries to laugh it off, her face flaming hotly, "That's all I meant….in the time I've known you."

"Whatever you say," James frowns from across the table. "Sometimes, though, Gin, you say the strangest things."

She gives him what she hopes passes for a saucy smile. "Just keeping you all on your toes! Someone has to do it, right?"

Lily gives her a big smile, but Ginny sees the question in her eyes as well. "If you could put these so-called Marauders – or should I say self-proclaimed? – in their place, Ginny, I think you would earn yourself a legion of fans here at Hogwarts."

"I daresay Miss Evans is correct, Miss Watson," McGonagall says as she approaches, giving a brisk look over the top of her glasses to the four boys, "Now, here are your timetables. Miss Watson, I'd like to discuss yours further to make sure there are no problems or confusions as this is your first time here." Ginny nods. "Good, so you will go to your classes today, and as you have transfiguration with me for your final class today, you will stay after so we can discuss everything."

"Yes, of course, professor," Ginny agrees, giving her a tentative smile.

"Now, here are schedules for the rest of you. Mr. Black, I'd like to see you apply yourself in potions this year," she sighs, arching an eyebrow at him, "I certainly hope that I do not hear about tens of ruined cauldrons from Professor Slughorn. That is quite an atrocious conversation to have, as I'm sure you realize." She looks over at Remus. "You will continue on quite as you always have, Mr. Lupin. Congratulations on the advanced classes; your exam marks last year were exceptional." James mouths 'professor' at the blushing Remus.

McGonagall turns to James. "And Mr. Potter, you are head boy, as that badge on your chest reminds me. Please act like it, and employ some decorum once in awhile." She glances at Peter but doesn't say anything. "At least wait until next week before we start losing house points, shall we?"

Snickering, Sirius offers his sweetest smile. Ginny almost chokes on her juice at the sight of it – she's pretty sure he used it on her mum once or twice the summer before her fourth year at Grimmauld Place. "You know us, Professor! Those teachers are just out to get us. Jealousy, I suspect."

"And what would they be jealous of?" McGonagall asks, her lips twitching upwards in a fairly close approximation of a smile.

"Why, that we're Gryffindors, of course! We've got the best of everything that Hogwarts has to offer, including head," he winks at her, his hand finding Ginny's thigh for the first time of the day. Knowing that McGonagall was there, he was fairly sure Ginny wouldn't resort to violence to get it off. Maybe he'd get his cheap feel this morning after all.

"Mmhmm," McGonagall murmurs through pursed lips, "Now, honestly, no losing points this week. And Black, get that quidditch team together. I want that cup in my office this year. We've been too long without it."

He offers her a jaunty salute with his left hand, as his right is still occupied with Ginny's thigh and the hands she's using to try and get him to move his. "Let's see your timetable then," he says to Ginny, reaching across her to snatch her piece of parchment off the table, "Well, will you look at that. We have Charms, Defense, Potions, Transfiguration, and Astronomy together." He raises his eyebrows at her, wiggling them roguishly. "Late nights in the astronomy tower, charting out the skies. Can't think of a better time, myself."

She blinks at him. "Do not tell me that your favorite class is astronomy?" Frowning, she glances over at his schedule. "Is that where you put the moves on girls, then?"

"Would it bother you if it was?" he asks, smiling blandly at her. "Would you like it to be just you, Gin? We could arrange that."

"Of course it wouldn't bother me," she huffs, standing up and moving away from the table, "That's your business, Sirius. I have no interest in it whatsoever." She grabs his schedule. "You're still taking History of Magic? All anyone ever does is nap in that class. Honestly, why bother?"

Sirius stares at her again like she's grown a second head. Lily, having overheard, jumps in. "Ah, so History of Magic is just as boring at Beauxbatons Academy, then? Please tell me you don't have a crusty old ghost teaching it there, too?"

Relaxing a little, Ginny gives her a grateful smile, linking arms with her. "Looks like we both have Herbology first. Would you mind showing me the way?"

"Of course not," Lily beams, shooting Sirius a far nastier look, "Bugger off, Black. You ought to get to class, or did you not even listen to Professor McGonagall about detention the first week?"

Sirius just throws his shoulders up in a haphazard shrug. "How do you know I haven't got a goal to get as many detentions as possible this year, Evans? You're Head Girl, think you could spot me few?"

Ginny rolls her eyes at him before smirking at Lily. "Give him something truly heinous, Lils. I don't know, like cleaning out the broom cupboards with Filch. And before you look at me like I'm crazy, a few girls in the dorm thought it nice to give me advice on how to avoid him, if necessary."

"Heinous," Lily muses, barely blinking at Ginny calling her by a nickname already, "What else do you have in mind?" With that, the two girls walk off together, red heads in differing shades bent together as they come up with potential ways to make Sirius Black miserable.

"Well," James chuckles, elbowing Moony in the ribs, "Bloody hell, Padfoot. You've gone and done it already."

"Done what?" Sirius blinks in confusion, wrenching his gaze over to his friend. Really, though, Ginny's backside was so much more pleasant for watching than Prongs' face.

James rolls his eyes, exchanging glances with Peter and Remus. "If you fell any harder for her, you'd be smashed to absolute, unrecognizable bits. And second, you've hexed her off! She'll likely be doing everything she can to avoid you!" He grins wickedly at the four of them. "I say, it might be time to prove to those two that we aren't so easy to avoid as all that!"

Remus just shakes his head; these two plotting rarely to anything but trouble. Ah, well, at least life was interesting.

To Ginny's surprise, she finds that she likes Lily as much as, if not more, than most people she's had the chance to meet in her life. The girl is nice with a very sly sense of humor. Oh, she'd never be a prankster, but she'd probably be great to sit and pass a bottle of firewhiskey around with.

They have the same schedule, something that they're both grateful for. Remembering her first year, she knows what it is like to not make friends right away, so she's grateful that things are so different this time around. It might not have seemed like it at the time, but meeting Sirius and James right off has turned out to be the best thing that could've happened to her.

After their first transfiguration lesson ends, which is attended by all the Gryffindors in their seventh year, Ginny lags behind, promising to catch up to Lily at dinner. She lingers near her desk until the classroom is cleared, and then she approaches McGonagall's desk near the front of the room.

"Perhaps we should adjourn to my office," McGonagall suggests, but Ginny recognizes it as more of an order and less of an option. So she nods her agreement, and they walk up the stairs that McGonagall reveals by tapping a complicated pattern on the stone wall behind her. "Now, please, have a seat. Tell me, how are you doing here so far? Any concerns I should know about?"

"Erm, no, I think I'm doing well. I – I know this isn't the most important aspect of school, but I've made some friends, and I like the classes we had today. I think everything will be fine."

"I'm very glad to hear it, Miss Watson. I would imagine that transferring, especially so late in your educational career, is a very difficult thing. But I'm sure you will find most of the students here to be quite welcoming." She glances down at the parchment in front of her. "Now, let's discuss the classes I've taken the liberty to place you in. You have better than acceptable scores in all subjects, so I've set you up with the ones that seem most prudent. However, if you have a strong desire to exchange say, Arithmancy for Divination, then we could accommodate you. Do you know what field you'd like to go into?"

Ginny smiles faintly, remembering when they had this conversation the first time around during her fifth year. Then, Ginny had just been convinced she'd become star chaser for one of England's premier quidditch teams, preferably Puddlemere United or the Holyhead Harpies. None of that Chudley Cannons nonsense for her, thanks. It hadn't been long after that that Dumbledore had been killed, and she'd realized that maybe there was more to life than Quidditch. Maybe there was more to _her_ than Quidditch.

"Honestly, I'd like to work for the Ministry, Professor. Charms are probably my strongest subject, alongside Astronomy and you know how much good that does for a career, but I was told before that I'd stand a good chance of getting a job in the Department of Mysteries – " She still shuddered a little to remember that time. " – Or even as an Unspeakable. I – maybe that's not necessarily true, but if it is a possibility, that's what I'd like to work towards."

"Very well, Miss Watson," McGonagall nods, glancing back down at the parchment with Ginny's supposed Beauxbatons marks, "If that is where your ambition lies, then I think you're in the right classes already."

Ginny nods, not having been at all upset with her class list. "Professor, does Hogwarts offer a class on becoming an animagus? At Beauxbatons, it is a class offered to sixth and seventh years. I was to take it this year, as I could not fit it into my schedule last term." She felt a little devious over the lies, but there wasn't much else she could come up with. "It just seems like such a fascinating thing, but perhaps that kind of talent is not as pervasive here?"

McGonagall immediately straightens up at that, her lips pursing into a tight circle as Ginny had known they would. Nothing gets to a Gryffindor quicker or truer than an insult to their pride. "Of course we have that talent here, Miss Watson. As a matter of fact, I am an animagus, myself." With that said, she quickly transformed, something which, to tell the truth, Ginny never got tired of seeing. She grins at the beautifully marked cat in front of her, clasping her hands together in delight.

"Lovely, Professor," Ginny smiles softly when McGonagall resumes her human form. "Does that mean that there is a class, then?"

"I'm afraid not," McGonagall informs her, surprised at the note of sincere disappointment on the girl's face. "However, perhaps that could be your seventh year project, as you would need to complete one anyway. I would, in fact, be willing to help. I'm advising on a couple of others, but this is a topic particularly close to my heart, as I'm sure is obvious."

It startles Ginny a little, how easily McGonagall has fallen into her plan, but she can't help feeling a little grateful for that. "You would help me with it? Teach me how to become an animagus? It's an awful lot of work, no?"

"Yes, it is," McGonagall agrees primly, "But the way you worked through those refresher exercises today, it would not surprise me at all if you learned how to become an animagus fairly quickly. Not that it is ever _quick_ process, to be sure."

"It can take some people a full year," Ginny murmurs in agreement, gaining a little excitement at the prospect of having an animal form, "But it can take longer, too?"

"And it can take a shorter amount of time, as well," McGonagall interrupts, holding up a hand, "Now, Miss Watson, if you are to commit to this, we'll need to meet several times a week. Do you have anything that will impede upon that?"

Ginny shrugs. "I haven't been here long enough to become active in anything." She looks McGonagall in the eye and smiles wryly. "If Gryffindor had needed a chaser, perhaps, but since seeker is the only available position, quidditch won't be a worry."

McGonagall lifts a thin brow in interest. "You play chaser, then? Have you ever played seeker, Miss Watson?" Ginny nods her head once, reluctance written across her face. "Let me tell you how Gryffindor quidditch went last year. Excellent chasers – your friend Mr. Potter leading the way there – and beaters who work like they were born to play together. Add in your other friend, Mr. Black, who makes a more than passable keeper, and you had a team that should've won quite a few games."

She pauses, pursing her lips in either disgust or irritation. "However, we had a seeker who did not know the sky from the turf, and as you can imagine, that caused us to have a very dismal season." She leans forward, an almost predatory gleam in her eye. "Now, Miss Watson, if you have seeker experience, I must implore you to try out for the team."

"Oh, but I'm not a seeker," she disagrees immediately, feeling a twinge of guilt at the disappointed (but still strangely determined) look on McGonagall's face. "I just filled in here and there, but only because no one was better."

"But you were successful, were you not?" McGonagall persists, "I can tell that you were. You have the right frame for a seeker, you know."

"I was moderately successful," Ginny sighs cautiously, "But really, I much prefer chaser, and besides that, becoming an animagus is so much more important to me than quidditch."

McGonagall frowns at her, shaking her head slightly. "Well, I do have to commend you on that. Few students would admit that anything takes precedence over quidditch to them. However, I do think it would be a good idea for you to give quidditch a go. In fact, I rather think it would be in everyone's best interest if you."

Ginny allows herself a small smile. "Everyone's?"

"Well, you see, Professor Slughorn has become rather attached to the Cup as late, and it gets very tiresome to hear him go on and on about how Slytherin produces the best quidditch players. Forgive me for wanting to make him stop."

"I – okay," Ginny says slowly, her mind working quickly. Is this McGonagall's way of living in denial about what happened to her family? Was quidditch always this important to her? "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to try out. Might be a nice distraction."

The smug smile that bloomed on McGonagall's face at her agreement falls off at the word 'distraction'. "Miss Watson, if you don't mind my asking, what precipitated your move to Hogwarts? Beauxbatons Academy is a fine institution."

Ginny's hands clench convulsively in her lap as a wave of homesickness crashes over her. "I – they – " She looks up at her professor, tears glistening in her eyes. "I just miss all of them so much."

"Oh, dear," McGonagall whispers, tear of her own clogging her throat, "Oh, child, I hadn't meant to upset you. Did it happen recently then?"

"It – yes, it was fairly recently," Ginny says dully, chuckling humorlessly, "It nearly happened in the blink of an eye. No chance to say goodbye, even." Even though it was all true, in the strictest sense of the word, Ginny knew she was piling it on a little thick. "I do miss them, even the most annoying of my brothers."

McGonagall reaches out and pats her awkwardly on the shoulder. "My dear, I know it can be of no great consolation, but I am so terribly sorry for your losses. If you ever need someone to speak to…well, my door is open to you."

Tears fill Ginny's eyes again, and she nods gratefully, managing a small smile for the professor. "I really appreciate that," she chokes out in a whisper.

"I daresay however, that you've already made some friends who might take exception to you not turning to them. Those boys, Mr. Black and Mr. Potter in particular, seem quite devoted to you already. They are nothing if not loyal," she praises, a look of almost fond irritation on her face, "And Miss Evans is exactly the type of person to befriend."

"She reminds me of my best friend," Ginny admits, "That almost makes it harder in some ways."

"Well," McGonagall says, standing up, "It is nearly time for dinner. You should head down to the Great Hall, Miss Watson. I'm sure your friends will be looking for you."

Ginny nods. "When shall we meet for the animagus training? Oh, if you're still willing, of course."

"Of course I am. Let's meet," she answers softly, again glancing down at Ginny's schedule, "Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. I will get you the times as soon as I find when my availability will be best suited. Does that work?"

"Spectacularly," Ginny agrees, brushing away the last traces of her tears. "I hope you know that I really do appreciate this very much."

"It will be a good diversion for both of us," McGonagall says, but before Ginny can question that, she's being gently ushered out of her seat and herded out the door, "Now, I will see you next Tuesday. Take a couple of days to acclimate to the school before you tie your time up with me."

Distractedly, Ginny nods. Sirius is waiting for her in the classroom. She's not sure if it is the sweetest thing ever, or if she wants to run back into McGonagall's office to hide behind her skirts. Giving him a small smile, she lets him walk her to dinner, retelling the stories of some of the Marauders finer pranks.

And for ten minutes, she can forget that nothing is really as it seems, and that in her reality, this funny, handsome, _alive_ boy is a dead man. But in the end, that always comes back to her, breaking her heart yet again.


	5. Running in Circles with Snitches

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! They're such a boost to read! Just take a second or two and drop a line or two! It is much appreciated.

**Chapter Five – **_**Running in Circles with Snitches**_

The morning of Gryffindor seeker tryouts dawned clear and chilly, and to Ginny, it was perfect. She loved that fresh bite of cold air against her skin as her hair whipped in the wind behind her. Through breakfast, she and Lily kept looking at each other and giggling as the boys, mostly Sirius and James, grumbled about their prospects and how horrid it was not to have a decent seeker.

Oddly enough, it was Lily that Ginny confided in after her conversation with McGonagall. She'd considered telling Sirius about it as they'd walked down to dinner together, but something held her back. Despite their rather rough start, the two had become fast friends, and to Sirius's dismay, you rarely saw one without the other. And that within the first couple days of the term.

"You'll be just great, I know," Lily promises as they rush back to the tower so Ginny can change and grab her gear. Ginny had planned on telling everyone her intentions, but Lily convinced her that it would be more fun to surprise them with her skill on the day of tryouts. "Don't worry, Gin. There really is no one in the house that is up to snuff, not even a little."

"Thanks," Ginny beams at her, encouraged by the assurance, even if it doesn't mean anything at all if she goes out and flies like rubbish herself. "I guess this is it then."

"You have everything," Lily more tells her than asks her, "Okay then, you're set. I'll be in the stands watching and rooting for you."

Ginny laughs a little. "And for James, too?"

"As if his big head needs any encouragement from me," Lily jokes, grinning delightedly when Ginny laughs heartily, "All my cheers are for you today, I promise."

"Thanks," Ginny giggles, bumping shoulders with her. "Thanks for everything, showing me around, helping me with this…maybe being a friend."

Lily, for once the bolder of the two, grins and loops her arm through Ginny's. "'Maybe'? Please, Gin, if we can't claim friendship now, then who at Hogwarts can?"

Smiling, Ginny nods. "Well, good, now that that is settled, I can go out there and kick some major arse today. Are you sure that there's no one else in Gryffindor capable of a decent seeking performance? I – I just don't want to embarrass myself."

"There's no one, Ginny, I promise." Taking a deep breath, Ginny nods at the reassurance from her friend. "You'll do great, I'm sure of it. Come on, let's get out there. Maybe you'll have a minute or two to warm up before everyone else gets out there."

"I know how to do a Wronski Feint," Ginny confesses quietly, "Ha – erm, someone taught me it once. I'm not as good as he was, but it is fairly effective still. I tricked my brother Charlie with it once."

Lily laughs. "I have no idea what that is, but if it will help you knock those smug, pratty boys on their arses, then I think you should absolutely do it!"

They walk down the stairs together, and for once, the staircases cooperate and it takes no time at all to get to the entrance. Lily walks all the way out to the pitch with her, giving her an encouraging hug before climbing up to the top of the Gryffindor stands to watch the tryout. To Ginny's dismay, it isn't long before a whole herd of Gryffindors comes down with the same thing in mind.

"Oh, God," she utters to herself, "Why am I doing this again?"

"Because you want to," Sirius whispers in her ear, "What exactly are you doing though? Why, it almost looks like you'll be trying out for the team. But that can't be right, because surely you would've told your friends, one of whom is team captain, right?"

"Bugger off," she glares at him, taking a step away from him. To her discomfort, he follows her immediately, almost plastering himself against her back. "Sirius, I mean it, just back off today. Especially if you're going to be a berk about this."

He takes a step back, stung. "I wasn't – well, I guess it's good to know what your friends really think about you, hmm, Gin?" He takes another step back, and she turns around, ready to protest. "Good luck out there, then."

He's jogging across the pitch to meet with James and the rest of the team before she can even open her mouth to get a word out. Great, now she's gone and hurt Sirius's feelings. What other havoc can she wreak today? Maybe she could knock some poor second year off his broom, or maybe she'd blow up at Lily for no reason, and drive her away, too. Sighing, she rips the hair tie out of her hair and starts stalking off the pitch. She gets about halfway to the castle when someone starts calling her name.

"Miss Watson! Ginevra Watson!" She stops, turning to see McGonagall bearing down on her, arms folded across her chest angrily. "Just where do you think you're going? I have not seen you take to the sky yet. You have not had your opportunity to try out. I thought that you understood the importance of this!"

McGonagall was there? Ginny was just _sure_ that if she looked into the stands or scanned the edge of the grounds, she'd see Dumbledore and the other professors lurking around, too. "I – I just decided that maybe this wasn't for me," Ginny sighs, tumbling over her paltry explanation, "It's just – I don't – well, you see – "

"Ginevra Watson!" another voice calls, this one younger and male, "What are you doing over there, lollygagging? Get out here now! Oi, sorry professor, didn't see you there? Gin is cleared for tryouts, right?"

"Of course she is," McGonagall agrees softly, "In fact, why don't you escort her back to the gathering, Mr. Potter." She glances at Ginny. "Good luck, Miss Watson. I'm sure you'll do very well for all of us."

Knowing that she really didn't have a way out of this, Ginny just nodded and let James guide her across the field. "Maybe if I fall off my broom, that would get me out of this," she mutters, brushing her hair out of her face.

"Talk to yourself often, Watson?" James grins, bumping her a little, "Hey, you're okay, aren't you, Gin? Why'd you leave?"

"It was a mistake. Thinking that I belonged out here, that I belonged anywhere here, that I could do this without messing up was a huge mistake," Ginny grits out, barely knowing what she's talking about.

James blinks at her, shaking his head. "I have no idea what you're talking about, but you aren't going to fall off your broom. Did Sirius say something to upset you? I can almost guarantee he did not mean it."

She rolls her eyes. "No, I was the one who acted like the little prat there. I just…it was a mistake, thinking I should try out for seeker. I'm not suited for it, and I don't even have much interest in it really."

"Hey, you don't know until you try," James reasons, slowing down a little as they get closer to the group of people waiting to try out, "Come on, Gin, it'll be fine."

She is still not convinced, but then she sees Lily's red hair streaming towards, and she has to tamp down the guilt she feels at the worry on her friend's face. "Ginny, what's wrong?" Lily exclaims, "Why were you leaving? You haven't even done your Wonky Feint yet!"

Ginny almost chokes at the way she references the Wronski Feint; in fact, it distracts her so much that she doesn't even notice that all conversation dies and everyone is staring at them, including James, whose mouth is hanging wide open. "I changed my mind, I don't know if want to do this."

"You do!" Lily exclaims, "We've talked about it for the last three days! Oh, Ginny, what happened?" She glances at James and catches sight of Sirius over his shoulder. "What did that berk say to you? You don't listen to him, Gin! Don't you dare listen to him."

"He didn't say anything," Ginny sighs, rubbing her eyes wearily, "Look, I'll tryout, but I can't promise anything."

"No one can," James agrees genially, glancing over his shoulder at Sirius who is watching the whole thing with a great deal of curiosity. "Come on, Pads, get this started, then!"

Sirius wrenches his gaze away from Ginny, nodding at James. "Alright then. We've got six people trying out, so let's pair you off and each pair can have a go at the snitch." Everyone nods their understanding. "Pair off then and get to it."

Ginny ends up, thankfully, not with a scrawny second year, but with a big, burly sixth year that looks like he probably wouldn't hesitate to knock her off her broom a hundred feet up if it meant he'd catch the snitch before her. Of course, that also meant that she wouldn't feel so badly if she could feint him into crashing into the pitch. They were the last pair to go, so she sat down with her broomstick on her lap as they all watched the first two pairs have a go at it.

With a sigh, Ginny waits her turn, her fingers drumming on her shin impatiently. Despite the encouragement from Lily and James, she still isn't sure that she really wants to do this. Perhaps putting herself into extra close proximity to Sirius wouldn't be such a clever move. They seemed to have two modes, the two of them did: flirting or fighting. And she honestly wasn't sure which was worse.

"Okay then," Sirius calls out when the second pair lands after an arduous forty minute hunt for the practice snitch that was significantly easier to find, "That'll be Smythe up against Watson, then." He doesn't look at Ginny when he calls them up. "Have at it."

Now that it is her turn, she mounts her broom and kicks off, grinning at the mouthed 'good luck' from James. The broom was so much slower than she was used to, but she had flown a few times upon Lily's insistence that practice made perfect. It probably didn't make perfect, but at least she wasn't going to make an arse out of herself on the broom this time out.

Down on the ground, Sirius and James keep their focus on Ginny as she darts through the air on broom. "She's…."

"Incredible," Sirius finishes for James, "She's bloody brilliant with that thing! There's no way we can lose the cup this year!" He pauses, shaking his head. "And to think, she wouldn't even tell me about it. But she told Evans," he sneers, his eyes never leaving Ginny, not even for a second.

"So what?" James shrugs, "You aren't her only friend, I reckon. She's a nice, funny, _pretty_ girl. She'll probably be pretty popular by the time October 1st rolls around. Bloody hell, she already is!"

"But she's…" Sirius begins, breaking off with a frustrated sigh, "I was just teasing her earlier, not even bad. Just sort of wondering why she hadn't told us about trying out. And she snapped on me, and I probably overreacted, but I just wasn't expecting…"

"It to hurt?" James asks wryly, his gaze flitting over to Lily, still standing near them, for the barest of seconds. "Look, Pads, give her some space. Whatever happened to her family to bring her here, it was bad. Don't try and force her into anything – I don't get the impression that would ever end well for you."

Sirius's frown darkens as Ginny literally flies circles around her competition. "She's bloody amazing on that broom, Prongs," he breathes in awe, shaking his head a little, "Why wouldn't she tell us?"

At that, Lily looks over at him, rolling her eyes. "She wasn't going to try out, you halfwit. McGonagall practically forced her into."

James pounces on Lily, now that she's joined the conversation. "Can she really do a Wronski Feint?"

"I don't even know what it is, so how should I know?" Lily shrugs, "She said she could. Said someone taught it to her once, and that she used it against her brother, Charlie. First time she'd mentioned a name of someone in her family, actually. Poor girl."

"I want to fly against her," Sirius announces suddenly, "That's how we'll do the next round. Whoever flies best against a team member, with the beaters hitting bludgers around, gets it, right?"

James shrugs. "Sounds fair to me," he agrees, shooting a questioning look Sirius's way, "Why do you want to fly against her?"

His gaze still intent on Ginny, Sirius lifts one shoulder in a halfhearted shrug. "Just do, mate."

"If you want to humiliate her or hurt her, Black, you'll have to figure out a better way than that!" Lily warns him flatly, the fingers of her wand hand twitching as she glares at him.

"I won't do either of those things," Sirius mutters tersely, "I just – I don't know, I want to fly with her, that's all."

James bursts out laughing, actually clutching at his side for support. "Oh, bloody hell, Siri!" he cackles, surprising Lily with the nickname, "If you want to fly with her, don't do it at quidditch tryouts. Apologize for whatever berk thing you did earlier, and ask her to fly _with_ you, not against you."

Lily looks at Sirius appraisingly. "What did you say? She was really nervous about tryouts, so if she just went off…well, we haven't known her too long, but I'm sure we've all noticed her tendency to fly off half-cocked at times? She probably didn't mean whatever she said, I'm sure."

"Wow," Sirius breathes, holding a hand to his forehead as he pretends to faint, "Did little miss perfect Lily Evans just give me the benefit of the doubt? I might just die on the spot then!"

"Oh, shut it," Lily growls, and Sirius chokes back a laugh when James's eyes glaze over as he watches her, "I swear, the two of you are like children. You can't behave for anything, can you? Oh! Ginny just caught the snitch!"

"What?" Sirius exclaims, his eyes flashing across the pitch to where Ginny sat on her broomstick, staring at the tiny gold ball with its fluttering wings in her hand, "But it's only been eight minutes! It's not even supposed to be _able_ to be found until ten have passed!"

"Well, she did it!" Lily squeals, "Oh, she really is good! And she didn't do her Wonky Feint, even, I don't think!"

James laughs heartily at that. "It's called a Wronski Feint, love, and no, she didn't do it. You haven't missed anything. But boy, Padfoot, imagine if she really can do it. She could take out the other team's seeker, and there'd be no way to beat us!"

Lily shakes her head. "Quidditch? Is that all you think about? I swear, James Potter, you have the most ridiculously one track mind I've ever encountered!"

"Yeah, and it's usually tracking on you," Sirius grumbles under his breath, laughing when both James and Lily smack at him. "Oh, Gin landed. James, we better talk with the team, and see what they think."

"Like you haven't already made up your mind," Lily chides him, returning his grin, "Oi, you two. Just go put her out of her misery already. The rest of them, too. They know when they've been beat."

Nodding, James shoves Sirius towards the rest of the team. "She's right, as usual. Might as well get on with it."

After a quick conference with the returning players on the team, Sirius announces his selection of Ginny as the team's seeker. The others who tried out all congratulate her, knowing they'd been beat fair and square. Lily is the first of the spectators to offer her congratulations, throwing her arms around Ginny's neck in a fierce hug. Ginny just laughs and hugs her back.

"You were wonderful, Gin!" Lily enthuses, "And James said you didn't even do your Wonky Feint! I'm so happy for you!"

Ginny just shrugs, smiling widely at her friend's excitement. James moves behind her, lifting her in a bear hug and twirling her around. "That was bloody brilliant, Gin! Shoulda known you had it in you after the way you handled things on the train! It'll be great having you on the team."

"Thanks," Ginny smiles at both of them, then glances over at Sirius. He's regarding her solemnly, and she feels even worse for her earlier outburst against him. "Hey," she says softly, nodding when he motions offering to walk with her, "Sorry about earlier. I reckon I was just nervous. And being a bit of a bint."

"Nah," he smiles, relieved that she's out of her snit, "They're right you know. You are an amazing flyer, Ginevra."

She glances up at him, her lightly freckled cheeks pinking at his praise. "Thanks, Siri. I appreciate that. I really am sorry I was so snappish earlier, too. Shouldn't have taken it out on you."

He shrugs, an easy smile gracing his face. "Not a problem, love. Come on, let's go raid the kitchen. I bet you worked up an appetite up there, yeah? In fact, if you ever need other ways to work up an appetite…"

"Sirius!" she exclaims, shaking her head at his gall. He winks at her to let her know that he's (mostly) kidding, and she laughs with him.

"Oi, did I hear the kitchens being mentioned?" James calls out as he and Lily approach, "Lily and I are coming, too." Sirius looks disappointed at that, which James picks up on, but to his credit, he doesn't say anything. "Let me grab Moony and Wormtail first, though."

Ginny groans softly to herself over Pettigrew's invitation. She'd much rather take her chances being alone with Sirius than in a group with him. Sirius gives her a small shrug in apology over the intrusion, and she smiles back. It's not his fault; none of them know what Peter really is, and they don't know that he'll wreck all of their lives in the near future. But maybe she can show them. Unfortunately, she had no idea how.

Sirius nudges her softly with his elbow, jarring her from her thoughts. "You got quiet. If you don't want to come to the kitchens, you don't have to, Gin. I can tell by the way Evans is frowning at Prongs that she disapproves. Head Girl thing, I suspect. If you have the same qualms…"

"No, no," Ginny jumps in quickly, "It's not that at all." She tries to think of a way to explain things, but can't come up with anything other than a subject change. "Do you not like Lily?" she asks the question that has been bothering her since they all met on the train.

"I do like her, it's just…she's rather serious all the time, and Prongs likes her so much, and – I don't know. She's alright."

"You're worried that James would change if they got together," Ginny breathes out softly in realization, "Oh, Sirius, I'm sure that just isn't the case."

He shrugs, giving her a faint smile. "Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. It's not like I'm some berk who begrudges his friend that, but – "

"But he's your friend," Ginny finishes for him, her lips pursed thoughtfully. "She's a nice girl, really."

"I'm not saying she isn't," he points out, smiling when she loops her hand through his arm, "But she can be a bit of a stick in the mud, Gin. She's not fun, like you."

Ginny rolls her eyes, glancing up at him. "And how do you know that I'm fun, Mr. Black?"

He reaches over with his free hand, tugging on a lock of her hair. "Everything about you screams fun. In fact, I bet you would even join in on a little spot of pranking, wouldn't you, Ginevra Watson?"

"Hmm, what type of pranking would this be?" she asks, her interest piqued a tiny bit. She was never a big prankster herself, but right now, she craves the feeling of normalcy, and nothing was more normal to her growing up than watching Fred and George prank people. Maybe this would help with her feelings of homesickness.

"Oh, well, something grand and extravagant, don't you think? Hmm, perhaps against a Slytherin or two? I know a couple who could sure use a good pranking. Or maybe the magical removal of the sticks up their arses, at least," Sirius mutters darkly.

Ginny rolls her eyes. "Don't prank your brother; it will only cause more problems for both of you, and there's no point in that, right?" She leans into Sirius a bit, shivering when his fingers tease the skin above her wrist under her robes. "What about a prank on a teacher or two?"

Sirius's eyes widen, and then he drops his broom, stooping low to scoop Ginny up into his arms to swing around. In surprise, she squeaks and drops her own broom and bag. "You're a genius, Gin!"

She laughs, letting her head fall back a little as he spins her one more time. "Well, I do try," she giggles, her hands still on his shoulders when he sets her down. She should step back; that would be the right thing to do. She just…can't. He leans closer to her, twining a wavy strand of her vibrantly red hair around his finger.

"Gin, I – "

"Oi, you two, stop snogging and get moving! Really, Padfoot, I expected better of you!" James teases them, "You ought to have the house elves mobilized by now, and whipping up some brilliant feast for us!"

"Bugger off," Sirius growls, taking a reluctant step away from Ginny as he does so. She breathes a sigh of relief, folding her arms around her middle. Undeterred, Sirius unfolds one of her arms so that he can hold her hand. She tries to pull it back, but he smirks at her, shaking his head. "Now, now, love, if I'm going to be in the presence of genius, then I'm going to need to be as close to it as possible."

She tries again to wrench her out of his grasp, but he won't let go. Hissing, she mutters, "Sirius, let go!"

Sirius just grins, tightening his grip on her hand. "Nope, sorry. Can't risk having you get lost on the way to kitchens, now can I?"

Ginny rolls her eyes, but allows a small smile to grace her lips. And really, it had been so long since anyone had shown this kind of interest in her – it was sort of flattering, really. Harry had been gone for over a year, and the few times the trio had come back, he'd shown absolutely zero interest in her. It was just…_nice_, that someone do that for her again.

"House elves, hmm?" she asks, skirting the subject of what his proximity is doing to her, "Do you have house elves?"

"My parents have a slew of very devoted house elves," he snorts, "Most of them are getting quite old, but there are one or two younger ones. They love my parents and my brother. Do anything for them."

She squeezes his hand gently. "But not for you, then?"

He shakes his head, glancing down at her. "No, not for me. I – I'm not really welcome with my family anymore, and even when I was, they mostly used the house elves to spy on me. They – I guess they always knew I was different. After I was sorted into Gryffindor, thank Godric himself, they definitely didn't want much to do with me at all." He shrugs, trying to look indifferent. "That's my sob story. Fact is, I'm better off, though. My family, big you-know-who supporters."

"I'm sorry," she says quietly, her fingers shifting to lace between his, "You deserve better than that."

"Then it works out," he laughs loudly, the words reverberating around them as they step into the school again, "I found better, Gin. The Marauders, that's a better family than my real one ever could be."

She beams a bright smile at him, nodding vigorously. "That's so very true, Siri. James is a great guy, and Remus seems like it, too."

Sirius leads her through the halls towards the kitchen entrance, eyeing her thoughtfully. "You don't like Wormtail much, do you?"

"Well, when your own _friends_ give you a nickname referring to a rat, that sort of tells me something," she mutters tightly, tensing and moving a bit away from him. He won't let her go far, though, keeping her hand tightly clasped in his.

"Oh, erm, see, he's not really so bad as all that," Sirius sputters out, unsure how to explain the nickname without dishonoring Marauder code and telling her the whole truth. "He's just quiet, keeps to himself."

"Giant front teeth?" Ginny quips lightly, taking pity on his struggle and giving him an out. He looks down at her, laughing again.

"Yeah, giant front teeth," he agrees, stopping abruptly in front of the painting guarding the kitchen. "We're here. There's a secret trick to getting in."

She looks up at him, her eyes widening when his darken as he leans down closer to her. "Oh, what is the trick?"

He pauses in his descent, smirking at her. "You tickle the pear." He leans closer, brushing nose against her cheek. His smile is genuine when her eyes fall shut.

"T – tickle the pear?" she asks with some difficulty. She can feel his breath on her cheek, and she's holding hers as she waits to feel his lips next.

"Mmhmm," he breaths, taking in her sweet smell as he raises their joined hands to the pear. As the door swings open, he drops her hand so both of his can find better places to rest. "You are beautiful, Ginevra Watson."

She bites her lower lip, almost ready to throw herself at him until he snogs her senseless. Once again, however, his friends interrupt them right as things are about to get good. "Ah, excuse us," Remus clears his throat, effectively ruining the moment. Ginny jumps back from Sirius, who just squeezes his eyes shut, praying for the strength not to strangle whichever of his so-called friends is closest to him.

Lily, feeling a bit sorry for Ginny, rushes in to cover the awkward moment. "Well, I can't say that I approve of raiding the kitchens when dinner is approaching shortly, but since the door is open and about twenty house elves are staring at us, I suggest we go in."

Ginny gives her a grateful if not wobbly smile, nodding with as much enthusiasm as she can muster. "Oh, I could go for some hot chocolate right about now. It was rather chilly out there."

"Mmm, that sounds good," Lily agrees, smiling shyly at James when he moves forward to help her through the portrait hole, "Thank you."

James and Ginny follow her through with Peter trailing after them. When it is just Remus and him, Sirius looks over at him. "You lot have the bloody worst timing ever," he gripes at his friend, pouting in what he assumes is an endearing manner.

Remus just rolls his eyes. "Sod off, Pads," he growls teasingly, "You're just as pathetic as Prongs now. The two of you are peas in a pod of love, aren't you? I heard, you know. Erm, 'Moony' hearing, and all that. You called her 'beautiful'."

"So," Sirius mutters defensively, "She is! And so what if I told her that, is that so bad? What's the problem, Moony?"

"You're arse over head in love with her, the same thing you've been taking the mickey out of Prongs over for years now," Remus points out, smirking slightly at him, "But you're going to get all shirty when we do the same to you?"

"Yeah, well, I don't like it," Sirius snips defensively. Groaning at himself, he shoves Moony towards the portrait. "Just get in there. Maybe we'll get to see Prongs break Evans yet."

Remus just snorts at that. "And you break Ginevra? You're rather transparent, Pads. I say, the two of you will going on dates to Madame Puddifoot's anytime now."

Sirius answers with a rude gesture, climbing through the portrait hole quickly. "Budge over, Evans," he orders Lily, who is sitting next to Ginny on a bench as they wait for whatever the house elves are preparing. "So, what are we noshing on this afternoon, anyway? And if the only thing that was ordered, _Evans_, was hot chocolate, there'll be an issue."

"No way, Pads," Peter chimes in, his chubby face flushed with excitement, "We asked for all sorts of things. It's going to be great! James even asked for…" His voice drops to a whisper, and he glances around as if expecting a teacher to be around. "He asked for firewhiskey."

"That was a joke, Wormtail," James cuts in, winking at Lily who shakes her head slightly. Ginny reaches around Sirius, who had wormed his way in between them, to pat her on the knee reassuringly. "Anyway, they don't even have butterbeer in the kitchens here, let alone firewhiskey. Believe me, I've asked before."

Lily looks between the four boys, trying to gauge something in their expressions. "How often do you come here? Isn't it a little rude, expecting the house elves to just make you food per your whims?"

Remus jumps in before James or Sirius can say something stupid. To Ginny, it's almost a little amusing how protective they are of each other, and how well they recognize when one of the others should not be speaking. "We don't come down here often, but really, Lily, they elves love it. Last term, after the Christmas hols, we didn't make it down here for a few weeks, and they carried on with the biggest scene you could imagine."

"Really?" Ginny asks, hiding a smirk behind her steaming mug of cocoa, "They like serving that well?"

"You don't have house elves, then?" Remus asks, cringing when he realizes who he is asking that question of, "Ah, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to – "

"No, it's fine," Ginny says softly, "I – maybe it's okay to talk about my family sometimes, yes?" Lily reaches down to grab her hand and squeeze it. "We didn't have house elves. There were seven of us, kids I mean, and we weren't the richest family around. There really wasn't a need for house elves."

All five of them gawp at her. "Seven?" Lily says softly, "That's a lot. Your poor mother!"

Ginny smiles at the thought of her mother, fiercely proud of her brood. "She loved it. It's always crazy around the house when we're all together. There're so many of us, how could it not be?"

The rest of them notice her mixture of past and present tense, but no one says anything about it. "How – when – ?" James asks quietly.

"Oh," Ginny breathes, starting at the question. "Erm, two months ago, nearly. It – sometimes it seems like yesterday, and sometimes it seems like lifetimes ago."

"I'm sorry, Gin," Sirius mutters, his arm sliding over her back, his hand reaching up to tangle in her hair. He pulls her close enough to press a kiss to the top of her head. "It shouldn't be that way."

Lily leans around Sirius to offer her a shaky smile. "I think that the next time I want to hex the nastiest boils I can think of on my sister Petunia's face, I'll think twice."

Pettigrew nods his agreement. "I have two little sisters, and I'd hate to see something happen to them. It would just be the worst."

That was the first time he'd really said anything remarkable in Ginny's presence, and it left her wondering how he'd become the traitorous rat that turned Lily and James over to Voldemort. The thought, no, the knowledge that he'd do that was so incongruous with the boy who was so clearly fiercely protective of his little sisters.

Several of the house elves bustle in then, enormous trays of foods levitating in front of them. Lily's jaw drops open, and she turns an accusing eye on James. "You said they'd just bring a bit for a snack! James Potter, this is not a snack, this is a bloody feast!"

"You tell him, Evans," Sirius mumbles, standing up to occupy himself with the choosing of food, "Bloody hell, I can't believe you swore! She swore, Prongs, did you hear that?"

"Yeah, my hearing is still working," James chuckles in amusement, winking at Lily, "And Lils, trust me, this _is_ a light snack to them. I asked for dinner once, and I got everything you can imagine, and that doesn't even include the pudding choices!"

"Well, have you _seen_ how Moony eats?" Sirius chimes in, making Remus blush. Ginny just smiles at their antics, taking a couple of biscuits off the proffered tray. She dunks them in her chocolate as she continues watching the people around her. "No wonder they think we need this much food!"

Peter snorts, shaking his head. "Because you eat so much less, Pads?"

Lily and Ginny share a look and start laughing as the Marauders start arguing playfully over who eats the most. When the discussion dies down, Sirius looks over at Ginny. "So fellas – and ladies – Miss Watson had a most interesting suggestion to me this afternoon?"

"To stuff your ego up your arse?" Remus asks caustically, sharpening his quick wit on Sirius.

"Har," Sirius mutters as the rest of them laugh with Remus, the two girls dissolving into fits of giggles, "Sure, laugh it up, you stupid berks!"

"Aw, bloody hell, Padfoot, just tell us what Gin suggested!" James cuts in, his curiosity piqued. If Sirius was intrigued or excited, then it must be a good one.

Sirius clears his throat, now intent upon dragging it out as long as he can until Ginny elbows him in the ribs. "If you don't tell, I will," she warns him with a sweet smile.

His face immediately drops into the cutest pout she's ever seen, and she can't help but laugh when he rests his chin on her shoulder. "Aw, but love, would you really want to spoil my only bit of fun?"

"Yes, she would," Lily answers for Ginny, a small but proud smile on her face when everyone laughs.

"Yes, I would," Ginny agrees, sharing a smile with Lily. Sirius groans, knowing that somehow they did that girl thing where they communicate sans words. Bloody annoying, it was. "Oh, just tell them, then."

"Fine," he huffs, rolling his eyes, "Gin here suggested that instead of going after my brother or Snivellus for the thousandth time, it might be a bit more fun to have a go at a teacher or two."

Lily stands up, her beautiful – and to Ginny, far too familiar – eyes blazing as she steps in front of James. "You're still pranking Severus? You _promised_ last year that you wouldn't! I suppose that's what I get for trusting an arrogant arse like you!" She looks over at Ginny. "I'm sorry, Ginny, but I can't stay here with these miserable excuses for wizards any longer! Five points from each of us for raiding the kitchen between meals!"

They all watch, some with the mouths slightly agape, as she storms out of the kitchen. With wide eyes, Ginny stares at James. "What was that all about?"

James rolls his eyes. "She's friends with a seventh year Slytherin, Severus Snape. They grew up near each other. She takes exception to him being pranked, but I'll tell you, that right foul git deserves everything that goes his way."

"That's actually true to an extent," Remus cuts in, giving Ginny a small smile, "He's a rather unpleasant sort. All the same, it would probably be fair to venture out and find other targets once in awhile."

"'Unpleasant'?" Sirius scowls as he stands up, James moving to stand behind him, "He's not unpleasant; he's downright miserable. He's your prototypical Death Eater will-be, walking around with that ridiculous smirk on his face, like he's trying to make everything think he knows something he doesn't. He's the worst sort, probably worse than Regulus, even."

Ginny nods absently, her own hatred of Snape and the things he'd done roiling around inside her. It was something of a shock to think that someone as lovely as Lily could find good in someone so dark, but Ginny figured that perhaps it was human nature to only see what you wanted to when necessary.

"He's a Death Eater then?" she asks quietly, looking back and forth between the four of them.

"There's no proof of that," Remus jumps in before Sirius or James can say anything to the contrary. "He is not, by any means, a person I'd want to spend time with, but you have no proof he's a Death Eater."

"He's the slimiest Slytherin ever!" James interjects, reminding Ginny more of Harry in that moment than ever before, "I just wish that Lily would see that!"

Shaking her head, Ginny jumps in before they can really get on a Slytherin hating roll. "Okay, boys, put the egos away. I think we've all had enough for the day."

All four gazes swivel to her, as if they'd forgotten she was there. Apparently, Slytherin hating was a frequent pastime here. Ron and Harry really would fit right in, and she couldn't decide if that was wonderful, particularly for Harry, or horrible and sad and horribly sad for a million other reasons.

The little party breaks up then, with James resolving to find Lily to apologize (or something like that, he'd said) and Remus and Peter (and just when did she start thinking of him like that?) off to work on Peter's Divination homework. That left Sirius and Ginny, the former of which was gallantly escorting the latter back to Gryffindor Tower.

"This has been a very good day," Sirius smiles as they slowly make their way back to the Tower.

She glances over at him, smirking just a touch. "Even when I was a being a bloody awful prat this morning?" she asks coyly.

He laughs, his hand coming up to rest on her back. "Even then, love. Even then."

"Why Sirius Black," she drawls out slowly, reaching out to playfully tug on the clasp of his rob, "I'd almost think you liked me, if I didn't know better, of course."

"What if I do?" he asks bluntly, his hands resting on her shoulders when they stop walking due to the staircase shifting. She can't look away from his eyes as he tucks a fallen strand of hair behind her ear. "Would that be so bad? Am I really that bloody awful?"

Without even realizing it, she's shaking her head to deny his words. "It's not that at all," she murmurs, her words a soft promise flowing over him. She feels vaguely like she's been fed a calming draught and hexed with a giddiness curse all at the same time. "You just wouldn't understand. It's – it's complicated."

"Is there someone else?" Sirius asks quietly, a frown marring his handsome features, "Do you have an agreement or an arrangement? If your parents arranged a marriage, that might be backed out of now….I mean, now that they're gone."

"I – no, I'm not – there's no arrangement or agreement or anything like that," she sighs. "Nothing formal, anyway."

He gives her a hard look, his fingers tightening on her shoulders. "Gin, are you in a relationship right now?" he asks with a calm he does not feel, "Do you have someone?"

"No," she admits, barely getting the word out before his lips are pressed firmly to hers, cutting off anything else she might've had to add.

Unbidden her arms raise to wrap themselves around his neck as she presses closer to him. One of his hands cups her cheek, tilting her head for a better angle, and the other firsts in her hair, holding her to him.

Merlin help her, but she kisses him back with everything that she has, everything that she is. She holds nothing back from him, actually wrapping herself about him and pressing as close as possible without actually crawling inside of him. Stifling a moan at her own brazenness – who'd have thought it was possible to turn oneself on? – she lets her head loll down onto his shoulder when his mouth drops to her neck.

"Oh, Merlin," she mutters, her body shivering despite the fact she feels like she's on fire.

"Not Merlin, love," Sirius corrects and she can feel his lips split into a grin against her neck. She can't believe he has the ability to be cheeky at a time like this. "The name is Sirius, and you'll do well to remember that."

As soon as he says that, it all floods back to her. All the reasons why this is a horrible things that she's doing, and all the ways she's wrecking things for everyone. This isn't about her and what her body wants; this was supposed to be about coming back and righting some of the wrongs that had been perpetrated on these people. How could she do that when she's a bloody mess of hormones?

She kisses him fiercely, the torrent of emotions swirling around her driving her to take one last taste for herself. Once she gets that, she pulls back from, taking one and then two steps back. He stares at her, his jaw tightening when he sees and interprets the look on her face.

"I'm so sorry," she whispers, guilt seeping out of every pore on her body, "I shouldn't have – oh, Merlin, I'm so sorry. You didn't – I'm sorry, Sirius. So, so sorry."

"Gin, what are you doing?" he groans when she darts away and onto a rapidly moving staircase that he can't get to into time. "Gin, come on, let's talk! Come back here, Ginevra Watson!"

"I'm sorry," she calls again, and this time, as he watches her fold in on herself in a sobbing pile, he doesn't call after her.


	6. And She Tells No Lies

A/N: Thanks for the reviews, they make my day! Also, as pointed out, I have been trying to include a little from DH, mostly pertaining to the Lily/Snape relationship. And I'm not so good with all the magic stuff, so the story will probably be more about the heart stuff. I'll try my best with the magic, though!

**Chapter Six – **_**But She Tells No Lies**_

After the unexpected snogging session with Sirius, Ginny spent the next couple of days avoiding everyone. Taking the chance that it wouldn't be in use, she spent the most of the remainder of the weekend in the Room of Requirement, hidden away from everyone. She took her meals at the oddest times possible in case Sirius or one of the others was waiting for her in the kitchens. She snuck into the dorm in the middle of the night, annoying the Fat Lady to no end, to get her shower and change her clothes.

Even Lily was being avoided, despite her best attempts to get Ginny to come and talk to her, including multiple owls and notes left for her friend all over the room. But Ginny was not having any of that; the guilt she was feeling was too oppressive for her to deal with anyone at this point, especially Sirius.

Her friends didn't know any of this, though, and they were all in various states of worry over her. Lily was becoming borderline panicked over Ginny's disappearance. James wasn't faring a whole lot better. Remus was mildly disturbed and worried over the fact that no one had seen her for two days straight, and Peter was just getting nervous because of everyone else's worry and tension. Sirius, however, was too frustrated with her and the way she took off to be very worried.

"What did you do?" Lily demands of Sirius for the seventieth or so time, just at breakfast this morning alone, "I know that this was your fault, Sirius! And now I want to know what you did to her!"

"Did it ever pop into your teeny, tiny little brain, Evans," Sirius sneers condescendingly, "That maybe this is her fault? That maybe this is her own little freak out, not mine?"

Lily glares at him, her frustration more than evident. "She's not freaking out for fun!" Lily argues, anger loosening her tongue, "You had to have done _something_ to her! She wouldn't stay away from all of us this long if it was nothing."

Sirius shakes his head. "I kissed her, Lily. Is that what you wanted to know? I bloody snogged her, she liked it and responded, and then she freaked out and started apologizing before running off. So forgive me I don't feel overly guilty," he lies.

"Ha, should've known you'd drive her away after a kiss!" James snickers, earning a dark glare from Lily, "What? It's not like it isn't true, obviously!"

"Shut up, James Potter!" Lily orders him, "This is serious. For whatever reason, Gin is obviously extremely upset over something. No one has even seen her in two whole days. I – I'm worried about this. About her."

"Me, too," Sirius sighs. For the first time ever, Lily looks at him and sees more than just the arrogant berk he usually presents to the world. "I don't even know what happened! One minute she was there, and the next she'd jumped onto a staircase before I could even react and was gone."

"Does – and don't yell at me for asking," Lily warns Sirius, the rest of them watching the exchange with interest, "Does she have a boyfriend?"

Sirius sighs, shaking his head. "She said that she wasn't in a relationship," he shrugs, "I – I don't know. Maybe what she said doesn't mean anything, though. She – I asked, alright? I asked if she had someone, and she said no. No arrangements, no agreements, no nothing. But – maybe she's – I don't know, she ran off. I don't know."

Lily shakes her head. "No, I - Sirius, I know we haven't known her very long, but I don't think she'd kiss you if she felt nothing for you. Really, I don't."

He shrugs. "Well, she ran off, didn't she? Clearly, it wasn't something that meant a whole lot to her, right? Maybe it's better to let it go, pretend it never happened."

James looks over at him sharply. "Did you want it to mean something, then?"

"Bugger off!" Lily orders him, her tone as sharp as James's gaze. "Just because you couldn't understand things like this, don't expect everyone else to have the same shortcomings as you, James Potter!"

"What do you think I've been doing the last two years, Lily Evans? This hasn't been playtime to me! If you honestly think that, then maybe there isn't anything for us to say to each other anymore!"

"Okay, then," Remus cuts in quickly, trying to head off the fight they all know they're headed towards, "This isn't the time for another petty squabble between the two of you! Let's just worry about finding Ginny, and then you two can pick your fight back up when we've averted that crisis."

Lily harrumphs at that, but nods gamely. "Maybe it is time to approach Professor McGonagall or the headmaster," she suggests quietly, "She's been missing a long time now, and she couldn't possibly know her way around the grounds or the castle well enough yet to be okay on her own. What – what if she went outside and something happened?"

Sirius shakes his head vehemently. "No. No way. We are not ratting her out like that, do you hear me, Evans?"

She holds her hands up, sighing in exasperation. "Fine, then! What do you want to do then, Sirius? What brilliant idea do you have?"

"Well," he begins quietly, if not a little grimly, "It's Monday now. She'll have to be in classes. So she'll probably start showing up for meals again, too."

"So we corner her then?" James asks, his brow furrowed.

Lily shakes her head, negating that idea. "No, I think we should approach her like…like…Remus, help me out here?"

Remus nods thoughtfully. "Perhaps we all need to back off and not confront her for now. Just give her some space. Really, for all you know, Pads, she had a boyfriend who befell the same fate as her family."

Sirius groans, closing his eyes. "Great. Competition from a no doubt idealized, hero-worshipped dead guy," he mutters, "That's just what a bloke needs in his life."

"Be nice," Remus growls, jerking his head towards the entrance way. There was Ginny, looking at the Gryffindor table with an almost wistful look on her face. "She almost looks lost, doesn't she?"

"She looks like she's been crying," Lily worries, tears of sympathy welling up in her own eyes, "Maybe I should just – "

"No," James interrupts, "Leave her be. She's coming this way, and if she's ready to face everyone, then let her. It can be on her own terms that way, and from what I know about Ginevra Watson, that's how she'd want it."

The all fall silent as she approaches, not even making a pretense at having a conversation. To Sirius's dismay, he can tell that Lily is right. Ginny has definitely been crying. Her eyes are red, and her face is pale, the light dusting of freckles standing out in sharp contrast to the paleness. She sits gratefully between Remus and Lily when they motion for her to do so.

Keeping her eyes down, she drops a piece of toast on the plate that appears before her. Shaking his head when he sees that is all she's taking, Sirius reaches across the table, adding bacon and some eggs to her plate. When she looks up to see who did that, he just gives her a big smile. Her eyes widen owlishly, not having expected or feeling like she deserved that from him.

"Thanks," she whispers, her voice scratchy and hoarse, rather as though she hadn't used it in a few days.

"You're welcome."

That is apparently as far as they are either willing or able to go right now. Eager to fill the silence floating uncomfortably around them, James whips out his Charms essay. "Everyone else get their eight inches written?" A wicked gleam appears in his eyes and he smirk at Sirius. "Except Padfoot, of course. He's only good for about five inches."

Drowning out the snorts of laughter from the others, Sirius protests loudly, even thwapping James upside the head. "Not funny, Prongs!"

"I'd rather like to know how you're so confident in that knowledge, Prongs," Remus adds mildly, sending both the Lily and Peter into fits of laughter. Even Ginny, despite her discomfort with everything, giggles at a little at the exchange.

Eventually, they all quiet down on that topic, each of them agreeing that they did in fact get their homework done. Conversation comes a little easier after that, as the boys bring up the Gryffindor quidditch team's prospects for the year. Ginny and Lily mostly stay out of the conversation, content to let it ebb and flow around them. Eventually Ginny works up the nerve to look over at Lily, giving her a tentative smile.

"Maybe we could partner in Charms today?" she suggests tentatively, somewhat bolstered by Lily's answering grin.

"Oh, I'd love that, so much! The spells we're learning now are going to be so very useful. It'd be great to have someone who actually loves Charms as much as I do to practice with for a change," is Lily's enthusiastic response.

Ginny grins, reaching out to press her friend's hand. "Thank you," she says quietly, but most sincerely, "I really appreciate your discretion in all this. For not pushing me or being really outwardly angry. It means a lot."

Lily gives her what she hopes is her most understanding smile. "That's what friends are for, Gin. I really do hope that you consider me a friend."

"If you'll have me, then I definitely do," Ginny beams, a laugh startled from her when Lily throws her arms around her neck in an almost choking hug.

The boys finally look up at this, perplexed frowns on their faces. James and Sirius look to Remus for an explanation of the strange, ritualistic bonding going on in front of them, but he just shrugs his own confusion. After another minute of staring at the girls trying to decipher them, they boys shrug and go back to eating.

Things started to go a bit better for Ginny once she rejoined her friends in a semblance of normal, everyday life. None of them treated her even slightly differently, always remaining as friendly and teasing as before, Sirius included. For her, that was both wonderful and horrible at the same time. While things were pleasant and she truly did cherish her relationship with Sirius, a part of her was extremely hurt that things weren't affecting him at all. That wasn't really a fair reaction and she knew it, but knowing didn't seem to change how she felt much.

But life settled into a routine, and for Ginny, that really wasn't a bad thing. She went to classes, spent a lot of time with her friends, went to quidditch practice, and continued her animagus training with Professor McGonagall. It was comforting to know that she had that to fall back on.

Sirius was the biggest wildcard in her world, and sometimes she'd catch him looking at her expectantly. It gave her the feeling that, despite how things seemed, maybe it wasn't quite over. For the sake of her sanity, though, she hoped she was wrong. The guilt she felt over having kissed him at all was near overwhelming, and every time she saw James's messy hair or Lily's kind eyes, she only felt worse.

After Transfiguration, she stayed to work with Professor McGonagall on her animagus training. Somehow, things with the professor had ground to a standstill, at least on a personal level. The animagus training seemed to be going very well, and she'd even discovered what her form would be (if she ever got to the point of actual transformation). None of that concerned her much, though. Perhaps to take her mind off the separation she was facing from her own family, she wanted to be able to help McGonagall.

"Ginevra, may I ask you about something I have been curious over for a couple of weeks now?" Ginny frowns at the question, trying to imagine what on earth this could be about. She nods, even though she can't come up with anything at all. "When you failed to appear for meals the weekend of quidditch tryouts, where did you disappear to? What happened?"

Blinking in surprise at the question, Ginny's gaze drops to her hands. "It – I made a mistake," she sighs, "A very bad mistake. And I don't know, I guess I panicked over it. I'm so sorry, I can't imagine that students frequently go missing, do they?"

Fixing one of her trademark stern stares on Ginny, McGonagall shakes her head. "Of course not, Miss Watson. We rather pride ourselves on being able to promise parents that their children cannot get up to the kind of mischief that would have them disappearing altogether."

"I am sorry, Professor," Ginny apologizes contritely, "I didn't mean to worry anyone, least of all you. I didn't even think that anyone would be wondering or worrying about where I was. I just – did something stupid, which I then followed up with something dumb. Never a good sequence of events, to be sure."

A ghost of a smile graces McGonagall's face at that. "Would you like to tell me about these things, Ginevra?" she asks, settling back slightly in her chair. "Sometimes it is wise to talk things out. It can put them into a better perspective. If you would like to talk about things, I'd like to listen for you."

Unwanted tears fill Ginny's eyes. She shakes her head at her own foolishness. "It – these are personal things," she sighs, rubbing at her eyes, "Even my friends here don't know most of this. Or any of it, really."

"I am not about to divulge any of your secrets to anyone, child," McGonagall promises her, "You can full trust in that."

"I know," Ginny agrees, taking a deep breath. "Sirius Black kissed me, which obviously shouldn't be a terribly big deal. But I kissed him back, and I – I liked it. A lot. The problem is, I shouldn't have. There should have been no liking of it, and I certainly should no have been an active participant!"

"Why not?"

Ginny looks up at the blunt question, making eye contact for the first time since the conversation shifted to this topic. "Because there is – no, was – is – I don't know! There is or was someone else, sort of." McGonagall merely raises a sharp eyebrow at her pupil at that. "All my life, I'd been in love with a boy. This wonderful, sweet, brilliant boy who did so many wonderful things. He –he was a hero. He _is_ a hero. And I loved him. Oh, he never loved me back, though," she sighs, the tiniest traces of bitterness seeping into her tone, "Never really noticed me at all, actually."

"But that changed," McGonagall deduces, prompting Ginny to carry on with the story.

"Yeah," Ginny nods, "Yes, it did change. My fifth year – his sixth – he finally noticed me as a girl, as more than his best friend's little sister. It took him nearly the entire school year before he got around to tell me that, but when he did, it was – it was perfect. _He_ was perfect. But then things with Voldemort got out of control, and – and his family was involved. He left to be a part of the fight."

McGonagall's brow is furrowed, over her shock and discomfort that Ginny used the feared name. A million questions are obviously on the tip of the woman's tongue, and Ginny sort of cringes, waiting for them to pour out on top of her. "I am afraid that I do not understand what you mean, Ginevra," McGonagall states calmly, yet in a strangely flat voice. "There is no fight against _him_ yet. We are just beginning to ramp up our efforts now, organizing. What you speak of is impossible."

"I know," Ginny whispers, her gaze staying strong on McGonagall's face, "I know that it seems crazy, but…"

"Miss Watson, what are you trying to tell me?"

She is so close to telling her everything, consequences be damned; the desire is just that strong. But in the end, it is McGonagall's own words to her in the future that convince her to remain silent on the subject, at least for now. Or, to put it more aptly, to tell the barest truth possible. "I – I'm just – I don't know. Everything is such a convoluted mess right now. I've fancied myself in love with Harry for so long, and then I let one kiss with Sirius Black turn everything upside down. And maybe it isn't even fair that I'm stressing about it, since Harry broke up with me over a year ago." She sighs, tiredly shifting in her chair. "I just thought I'd be the perfect girlfriend, waiting for him to come home to me."

McGonagall nods thoughtfully, but Ginny can tell she won't always be this easily diverted from this subject. "Sometimes perfection is overrated, my dear, and perhaps your loyalties should be to yourself, not this young man who left you."

"But it was for a stupid, noble reason," Ginny argues, "And he never asked me to wait, but it was sort of understood."

"My dear, you are in a new school in a different country. And while I do not know your stupid, noble young hero, might I offer you a bit of advice?" She doesn't wait for Ginny to agree, just pushes on. "I think that sometimes, people are so afraid to live for the present that they don't let themselves see what is right in front of them. I don't often let things like this be known, but you've chosen your friends here well. And think they've chosen equally well by including you in their circle."

"Thank you," Ginny murmurs, blushing a rosy pink.

McGonagall smiles at that. "What I am trying to tell you is to keep your heart open. Sometimes we are wrong in what we choose to assume is the way things should go. Do not limit yourself, and do not forget to live for today. Do not make the same mistakes that I have."

Ginny asks, unable to keep her curiosity to herself. "What mistakes? Oh, I'm sorry, that isn't any business of mine. I'm so sorry, Professor."

"It is fine, Ginevra," McGonagall sighs, "It was practically a magically engraved invitation to ask about it further, wasn't it? My daughter and her family were killed recently in a Death Eater attack. I had a grandson who would've been attending Hogwarts this fall for the first time, and two other little ones who would've been here several years from now."

Ginny shivers, wraping her arms around herself. McGonagall keeps her office warm, but the conversation topic still seems to chill Ginny to the bone, despite the warmth of the room. "Oh – oh, Professor, I am so, so sorry," she sighs, tears again filling her bright eyes as she thinks of her fallen friends and the others that are currently out of her reach. "I cannot tell you how sorry I am…"

There is a far away look in McGonagall's eye when she looks back at Ginny again. She forces a pained smile, her lips thinner than ever, as she nods tightly. "Thank you, Miss Watson. I doubt that my assumption is incorrect in that you are someone who can truly understand the pain senseless violence and tragedy can cause in a life. There are not many others out there who can."

"If things continue on the way they are now, then I fear that this kind of understanding will become commonplace in a way that we are not prepared to deal with," Ginny mutters darkly. Shaking her head, she sighs. "I am sorry, though. It – it isn't something that is easy to live with, is it?"

"No," McGonagall murmurs in agreement, "It isn't. And we'll always carry it with us, too. But you, my dear, are young, and should start living in the present. Perhaps you'll learn, as I once did, to value the man that treats you as an equal, not the one who treats you like a piece of fine porcelain."

It had never been put that way to Ginny before. She'd never considered the unfairness of the way Harry wanted her to stay out of harm's way. Oh, she'd always hated it, rebelled against it, but she never really realized that it was a gross injustice against her. Maybe he didn't trust her to be able to protect herself. It was an unpleasant thought, but there it was.

Maybe that was why it was so easy to enjoy the way Sirius seemed to expect her to be able to care for herself. It was refreshing, a nice change from six extremely protective older brothers and a boyfriend who didn't want her to risk anything, regardless of her capabilities.

When Ginny stays silent, continuing to think it over, McGonagall says softly, "I apologize if I have overstepped."

"Oh, no," Ginny hastens to counter, "That's actually something I will need to think about. Thank you."

"It is most likely not my place to say anything, but I would like you to understand this. It is a minor miracle that your Mr. Black was sorted into Gryffindor with us. His family is very much historically Slytherin, something that his younger brother upholds to this day. Several in his family are rumored to be a part of _his_ inner circle, and others have strong Death Eater ties. There is so much to be said that he has stood up to this, turned away from that world despite the pressure his family would've put on him, probably still does, but it has also taken a toll on him. Please keep in mind the things he has never had much of, and what it would do to him if he lost them if he thought they were being given to him now."

Ginny colors slightly at the words, understanding McGonagall perfectly. She doesn't like to hear some of it, especially the warning at the end, but she understands the veracity of the statement. "I don't want to hurt Sirius or any of my other friends here," she vows quietly, "Quite the opposite of that, Professor."

When McGonagall then starts a story with 'When I was a young girl', Ginny almost groans aloud. But wisely, she holds her tongue, and McGonagall continues uninterrupted. "I hadn't been out of Hogwarts very long, and I met this lovely young man, a wonderful quidditch player for the Ballycastle Bats. We fell very much in love, very quickly, but I pushed him away, denying my feelings. I had this notion that my life would follow a formula or a schedule, and he didn't fit with that.

"He asked me to marry him, but I turned him down. I just _knew_ I wasn't supposed to marry so young. Thank Godric he was persistent, or I would've missed out on the very things that have made me happiest in my life. Do not live life by a formula you've invented for yourself, Ginevra. You cannot know what you might miss out on."

"It's just that, things are so complicated," Ginny sighs. "Harry is out there, fighting for a future that I know he isn't even sure he'll be around to enjoy, and sometimes I just feel so guilty that I'm here living it up when he's out there."

McGonagall nods. "I suppose, my dear, that this is when you have to ask yourself what is right for you. Not Harry, not Sirius, but you, Ginevra. And that is what you do." She glances at the clock. "Now, it is time for dinner. I daresay that you'll find at least one of your friends waiting for you back in the classroom. You should probably join them now."

Ginny nods, standing up. "Professor? I am sorry about your family. I – I wish it could've been different."

"Me, too," McGonagall agrees, her face softening as she crumbles into tears. Ginny makes a move towards her, but she is waved off. "Go join your friends, my dear."

"I'm sorry," Ginny whispers again, glancing over her shoulder at McGonagall one last time before she turns and walks out the room. "I am so, so sorry."

After a wet and windy quidditch practice later that week, the rest of Gryffindor team tromps into the locker rooms while Ginny lingers behind. Watching Sirius put away the balls, she waits for him to notice her. When he wrestles the last bludger back into its place, he slams the lid shut, breathing a sigh of relief. Upon standing, he notices her immediately.

It surprises him that she's there; she's certainly not sought him out on a one on one level since their kiss nearly three weeks ago. She hasn't avoided him again either, but they haven't been alone at all. He approaches her slowly, almost a little warily, as if he's afraid she'll run off again. "Hey," he greets when she doesn't, "You aren't going in?"

She shakes her head, her wet hair coming out of its braid and whipping to stick against her cheek. "I fancied a fly. Come with?"

"Oh, yeah," he nods quickly, stooping to grab his broom off the ground, not willing to give her a chance to change her mind, "Let's go."

"Race?" she asks, glancing over at him with a sly smile on her face, "One lap around both sets of rings?"

"You're on!" he yells, and with that, they take off, speeding quickly around the pitch. Ginny beats him easily, her lighter stature and seeker flying capabilities pushing her far ahead of him. He's laughing when he pulls up to a stop next to her, pleased to see that she's got a relaxed grin of her own on her face.

She leans back slightly on her broom, hovering about fifty feet in the air. "That was fun, thanks."

He winks at her, shaking his head good-naturedly. "You only say that 'cuz you won, Ginevra," he teases, reaching out to peel a lock of rain-wet hair off her face. Realizing what he did, he blushes. "Sorry about that."

"I – it's okay, Siri. Can we go somewhere and talk? Preferably somewhere dry, if you know of such a place?"

He nods, motioning for her to fly after him. "The Shrieking Shack," he introduces her as they dismount their brooms on the steps of the rickety old house, "They say it's haunted."

"Who is 'they'?" she asks, pleasantly surprised by the clean and neat interior, "It doesn't seem very haunted to me."

"Students," Sirius shrugs, taking her cloak and hanging it up on a coat rack just inside the door. He takes his off next and places it near hers, grinning when she pulls her wand out and quickly casts a drying spell over them. On him, she casts a warming spell, quickly followed by one herself. "Better," he grins, "Thanks, Gin."

"You're welcome," she answers quietly, a little too serious for his liking. "Can we talk for a bit now?"

He nods, even though he doesn't have much confidence that this is going to be a conversation he _likes_ having. After the last few weeks, he doesn't trust much that he's going to get what he wants out of this. "Yeah, what did you want to talk about?" he asks, glancing further into the house, "C'mon, then. There's furniture through there. We might as well sit for awhile."

She follows him wordlessly through the hallway, into a cozy little room with two chairs and a small sofa. He sits on the sofa, and she surprises him by taking a seat at the opposite end of it, rather than segregating herself in a chair away from him. "I think I owe you an explanation."

"You don't owe me anything, Gin," he counters softly, even though he's admitted curious about what she'll have to say.

"Yes, I do," she counters, "I absolutely do, Sirius. What I did, freaking out like that, you can't imagine how awful I feel about it. It was such a binty thing to do, and I'm terribly embarrassed over it. So it might be uncomfortable for me to talk about it, but I want you to hear it. I want you to know the truth."

Knowing that she isn't letting this go, he nods reluctantly. The last thing he wants right now is to hear fantastic tales of the boy who has her heart. That just wasn't on his agenda, but at the same time, he's done in by his need to please her. So he can't tell her where to stuff her story.

"I'm not in a relationship," she starts off softly, her head tipping to the side as she regards him carefully, "I don't have an arrangement or understanding or anything like that. But there was a boy. Is a boy. There's a boy, at any rate. I – I'd pined for him for many years. Oh, bollocks! I'm botching this up so badly."

"It's fine, Gin, just tell me," he orders her brusquely, hoping she'll take the hint to tell things quickly so he can get out of here and commence his private moping session.

She lifts her feet onto the couch, pulling her legs against her chest and resting her chin on her knees. "It's not fine," she counters, "It's a mess. I'm a mess. What I'm trying to say, is that I didn't lie to you. Please don't think that. This boy and I haven't been together for over a year, I've only seen him a couple of times since then, and we don't even have plans to be together again."

He reaches out, trailing a hand over her hair and down her slender back. "Then what's the problem, Gin?"

"I'm the problem," she smiles ruefully, "I had these intentions of waiting for him, because it's what I assume he wants. I'd waited all that time for him to see me, to _like _me, and when he finally did, our time was cut so short. I just assumed that I'd wait for him forever if I had to."

"What changed?" he asks quietly, hoping that he already knows the answer.

"I met you," she admits, standing up and pacing nervously back and forth across the room, "I met you and it wasn't as easy to envision myself waiting anymore. It wasn't even as easy to remember the reasons that waiting was a possibility, you know?" She glances over at him, her arms wrapping around her middle. "He's such a part of my life, Sirius. He's – my family is his family. Our lives are very much intertwined. It's just…hard. It scares me, that things could change so much so fast."

He moves over to her, his hands rubbing over her arms in an effort to warm her. Not wanting to push her further on the subject, he steers her back towards the door. "Cast an _Impervio_ on our cloaks, and let's fly some more, Gin."

She does as he told her, and they head back outside. The spell keeps the weather from getting the better of them, and the have fun playing children's broom games as they let their other troubles melt together. After he catches up to her in an impromptu game of tag, she slows her broom, waiting for him to stop beside her. When he does, she leans over, impulsively kissing him.

When she pulls away, he grins at her. "I want a chance."

"Hmm?" she murmurs, leaning back further to look at him. "What are you talking about, Sirius?"

"I want a chance with you," he says seriously, "Yes, you have that other man that you may or may not be waiting for, but I don't care. You are what I care about, and I want the chance to prove that to you. I want the chance to change your mind."

She answers him by again leaning forwards, her lips unerringly finding his. Reaching out, he grabs her broomstick, hauling it (and her) closer to him. His hands find her hips, squeezing her lightly to reassure himself that he actually had her in his grasp. Her hands are just as busy, running through his hair, down his back, finally settling in with a firm grip on his upper arms, holding him to her.

When the need for air arises, he pulls back, grinning cockily at her. "Don't tell me you don't want to give me the chance," he teases her, leaning back in for another snog. He gasps when her tongue plays lightly over his lips, and when they part, she doesn't hesitate to take that for permission to enter. "Bloody Hell, Gin, you shouldn't do that while I'm on a broom!" he gasps when he manages to break away, "These cushioning charms aren't all they're cracked up to be!"

Leaning back into him, she lets her upper body brush against his. "No, they definitely aren't," she purrs, her lips trailing over his cheek as she pulls away. She bursts into laughter at his outraged pout when he realizes he's being teased, and she takes off on her broom. "If you can catch me, you get your chance!" she calls out to him over her shoulder, laughing harder when he shoots off after her.

"Don't worry," he says to himself with quiet determination, "I'll catch you, Ginevra Watson."


	7. Meetings and Beatings

A/N: Sorry for the delay! Been busy working, throwing baby showers, seeing Superbad, and having something of a life, but on a positive story note, I have two additional chapters completed. Yay!

Thanks to those of you who have reviewed, I much appreciate it. I'd love some more! And I do apologize for the questionable grammar that crops up; I have no beta right now, and when I read through my own work, I have a tendency to read it "right" in my head thereby not catching my errors!

**Chapter Seven – **_**Meetings and Beatings**_

"Wait a mo', let me get this straight," Ginny says, completely deadpan, "Peter has a date? With a _Ravenclaw_? I thought they were supposed to be smart!"

"Ginny!" Lily exclaims, laughing wildly even as she claps a hand over her mouth to try and keep it in, "Don't be spiteful! And anyway, it isn't with a Ravenclaw, it's with a Hufflepuff. If that makes it better for you."

Grinning cheekily, Ginny nods. "It does indeed. The natural order of things doesn't seem so upset now. Although, what 'Puff is that desperate, I'll be interesting in seeing."

Rolling her eyes, Lily shakes her head. "Honestly, Ginny, Peter isn't all that bad. He's just not as…bright as his friends, that's all."

"I just don't trust him," Ginny shrugs, hoping to give Lily at least half a clue about Pettigrew, "There's something about him that puts me off. Like he's a rat or something."

Lily, not knowing about his animagus form, just shrugs. "I don't know where you get that, but it's neither here nor now right now."

Smiling, Ginny decides to tease her friend and roommate a bit. "And what is of the here and now?"

"Don't be coy," Lily scolds her, "It isn't all that becoming on you. And anyway, you know perfectly well what is important at the moment. Getting me ready for this…this…"

"Oh, come on now, surely you've worked up your ability to say it by now, right?" Ginny teases her, wide grin on her face, "Lily, it's a date! A d-a-t-e with the man of your d-r-e-a-m-s!"

"Heavens, she's learned to spell," Lily mocks back, glaring at her in the mirror, "Really, can't you see I'm nervous? Stop taking the mickey, and help me out here. I still don't know what to wear."

Glancing back into Lily's wardrobe, Ginny again notes her favorite. "I think you look marvelous in that lavender Muggle jumper, Lils. It's such a pretty color on you, and that material is just brilliantly soft. James should like that, too."

"Well, if he thinks he'll be touching me, he's got another thing coming!" Lily exclaims, her brow crinkling into a worried frown, "Oh, do you think he'll expect touching? This isn't a touching date, this is a…."

"Plain, old boring non-touching date?"

Lily pulls a face, mock glaring at her friend. Sighing, she flops down on her bed. "Is it really that bad then?"

Ginny hides a smile as she works her hair into a presentable ponytail. "No, of course not. And let's face it, James Potter is so beyond thrilled that you're even going out with him that he's not thinking of anything but how great it will be to have this time to spend with you. That's all."

"What if he wants me to snog him, though?"

"Well, if he wants to snog you, which he's a boy so of course he does, then if you want to snog him, do it. Lily, James is really crazy about you. Give him the chance to prove whatever it is you want him to prove. He's a good bloke. It's him, you just have to let yourself see it," Ginny suggests gently.

Thinking over her friend's words, Lily nods. "It sort of scares me, how he seems to feel so much for me. Does that make sense?"

Ginny nods, giving her a small smile. "It makes sense, but at the same time, I have to tell you, find that Gryffindor courage and just embrace it, Lils. Best case scenario, he's the man you spend the rest of your life happily loving and having perfectly mischievous children with. Worst case scenario, you find out he's not right for you, and you can go on with life not having to wonder if you let something wonderful pass you by. It's not that bad of a situation to be in."

"You think?" Lily asks, glancing at Ginny as she mulls over her words, "Maybe you're right. Maybe we should try it. He's – James can be charming, can't he?"

"I know you have feelings for him," Ginny says softly, "It's in the way you look at him sometimes. It's in how jealous you were when you thought he liked me. And it's okay, Lily. If you like him, you go for it."

"I – okay, then," Lily whispers, smoothing her sweater down over her flat belly, "Go for it. I – I could go for it."

"Of course you can!" Ginny enthuses, laughing giddily as she claps her hands together, "I truly doubt you'll regret it!"

Standing up, Lily grins at her friend. "You think it'll be this easy? That I just…_stop_ fighting everything, and oh, I don't know, life falls into place?"

"Why not?" Ginny retorts, pulling on a green Muggle sweater that was with the things McGonagall had provided. That was one thing her professor had really excelled at, in a rather unexpected way, finding the perfect clothes for Ginny. Who'd have known? Maybe when she goes back to her own time she and Hermione can laugh over that. At this thought, Ginny lets out a wistful sigh.

"Gin? You okay?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, I'm fine. Just missing someone for a second there. Sorry for the inattention. Go on with what you were saying."

Lily stares at her quizzically for another second, but eventually lets it go. "Well, I wasn't saying much at all," she shrugs, "Just trying to figure out if I'm crazy or not for finally agreeing to date James Potter. It's – I guess I'm worried it'll be more trouble than it is worth, you know?"

Shaking her head, Ginny grasps Lily by the shoulders. "Don't be such a pessimist. Things are going to go wonderfully today. There isn't a person in this castle who could possibly have a problem with this! Just let yourself enjoy it."

"Severus will hate it," Lily sighs, idly running a hand through her long hair, "And things are already so tense there. Oh, bollocks it all."

"Severus?" Ginny asks, an uncomfortable tightness squeezing the breath out of her chest, "The Slytherin that even Remus says is a fairly large arse?"

Lily looks over at her, sighing. "Look, you can't believe everything those boys tell you. Severus, he's not so bad, Gin, I swear it. He's just misunderstood; he's my friend, has been since we were kids. Before Hogwarts, even. Well, thank goodness for that," Lily sighs, "Because if we'd met here, he'd hate me on principle."

"Principle of what?"

"Being a Gryffindor. Being friend's with James and the Marauders. Not being a Slytherin. It's bad enough now, and we did know each other before."

"Rather narrow-minded, don't you think?" Ginny asks softly, then shakes her head. "No, never mind. I suppose I've been around here long enough to realize that there are certain stereotypes here, and that some people actually try to live up to them. It's sort of sad, really."

Nodding her agreement, Lily still shrugs. "It's not like there's much to do about it, though. I wouldn't even know where to start. Severus and I are friends, and he still wants very little to do with me. The older we get, the further he pulls away. It's been very hard on him, me being a Gryffindor. James and the others are not, and never have been, very nice to him."

Ginny nods, sighing. "Yeah, after that day in the kitchen, before everything _else_ happened, Sirius and Remus talked a bit about it. Sirius thinks that your friend is a Death Eater," she says flatly, "Remus says there is no proof of that, but admitted that he wasn't a pleasant person."

"Not all unpleasant wizards or witches are automatically Death Eaters," is Lily's reply, "And anyway, Sirius is as biased as they come."

"Fair enough," Ginny agrees, knowing when not to argue. "So, speaking of Sirius, he invited me to spend the day with him and Remus. I think that'll be fun enough, don't you?"

Lily nods, distracted as she holds up a couple of necklaces. "Which one do I wear?"

"The silver," Ginny suggests immediately, "It'll look nice with the lavender. I should've lured Sirius into a bet, you know."

"A bet about what?"

"Whether or not James chokes on his own tongue when he sees you," Ginny giggles, laughing harder at Lily's reproachful smack to her arm, "Honestly, you look wonderful. He won't know what has hit him."

Smiling at that, Lily reaches out and pulls Ginny into an impulsive hug. "Thanks for helping me get ready for this. I know it isn't as big of a deal as I'm making it, but I guess it is a little important to me."

Ginny snorts at that. "Yes, just a little," she mocks, not unkindly.

"Oh, you," Lily laughs, pushing Ginny towards the door, "We'd better get down, if we want to meet our dates on time."

"Dates? Oi, if people think I'm on a date with both Sirius and Remus, I'll be known as the school slag faster than you can say 'just friends'!"

Lily rolls her eyes. "You and Remus might be just friends, but you and Sirius are anything but. I've never seen him so, well, sorry for this, but serious about anything before in the entire time I've known him." She smiles at Ginny as they walk down the stairs together. "Honestly, Gin, I wouldn't have thought him capable."

When they get down to the bottom of the stairs, Ginny cannot help that her face alights in a huge smile when she sees Sirius standing there, casually leaning against a couch. Peter is nowhere in sight, most likely already having scampered off to meet his date. Remus is flipping through his History of Magic text, earning the occasional glare from Sirius, and James is pacing back and forth nervously. Upon seeing _that_, Ginny nudges Lily and the girls share a secretive smile.

"Are we really _that_ terribly late then?" Lily asks, noticing that aside from their group, only first and second years remain in the common room.

"Just a bit," Remus says kindly, smiling at the both of them as he sets his book down, "We'll just skip breakfast then."

Sirius slings an arm over Ginny's shoulder. "Whatever will you do without your plate of bacon?" he teases her, "James would devastated, too, but I think he's actually too nervous to eat right now."

Ginny glances over at the pair by the portrait hole, smiling widely at each other as they step through the hole without so much as a backwards glance at their friends. "I think they're sweet," she sighs, absently remembering that oh so brief period of time when she had Harry like that, "It's nice."

"Well, come on then," Remus grins, "I'm sure Padfoot will make eyes at you if that's what you wanted, Gin."

"Hey!" Sirius protests, "I'm going to pride myself on not being quite so sappy as all of that, thank you kindly. Anyway, Prongs already has the corner on that market. It'd be bad form to try and beat the man at his own game."

Ginny looks back and forth between them. "When are you going to let me in on the significance of your nicknames?" she asks slyly, not sure why it was so important that she hear it from them since she already knew. For some reason, she wanted them to trust her enough to tell her. "You do realize, I am sure, that if Lily asked, James would tell her in a heartbeat. The boy is so smitten, he'd tell her anything."

Sirius and Remus exchange significant yet helpless looks. It is clear that neither want to break their silence, but at the same time are worried that James will. Trying to distract her, Sirius leans in closer to her as they walk through the portrait hold. "How come _that_ is the secret you want to know? I've got far sexier secrets, Ginevra."

"Please, spare us all," Remus implores, "And keep those to yourself. No one needs to know what is entailed by 'sexy' in your addled little mind."

"Ouch, even your friends think you're addled, Siri," Gin smirks, squealing loudly and rather girlishly when he picks her up, slinging her over his shoulder. She beats her tiny fists on his back, protesting loudly. "Sirius Black, you put me down this instant!"

Remus shakes his head, both amused and irritated by their antics. "I hadn't realized that part of my duties today included babysitting," he remarks dryly, "I'd have not been quite so agreeable if I'd known."

Refusing to set Ginny down, Sirius shifts her until he can swing an arm over Remus's shoulder. "Don't worry, Professor," Ginny calls, holding her hair off her face so she can grin cheekily at him behind Sirius's back, "I'm sure you're next to a get Sirius ride. That is, if he's not too tired from hauling me down all these stairs." She thumps him on the back. "I can walk, you know!"

"You are light as a feather, Gin," Sirius grins, "I think I can manage. I could carry you around all day if I wanted. And as a matter of fact, I just might want to!"

Grinning (this time) wickedly at Remus, Ginny reaches behind herself, giving a sharp pinch and twist to the sensitive inside of Sirius's upper arm. He yelps, his hold on her loosening enough that Ginny can slide down his body and onto her own feet. "Six older brothers," she calls over her shoulder as she flounces down the hallway, "I guess he's free to give you your ride now, Remus!"

"Hey!" the boys simultaneously protest the innuendo. Sirius elbows Remus, and the two take off after her.

"Cease and desist this running in the hallways," McGonagall shrills indignantly, "I hear this racket and come to investigate. Imagine my surprise to find some of my very own _seventh_ year Gryffindors behaving badly!"

Sirius smirks as Ginny and Remus instantly pull up with identically contrite faces adorned with traces of guilt. "We were just having fun," Sirius shrugs earnestly, "You know Remus needs that once in awhile, don't you, Professor?"

Glaring at him briefly, McGonagall raises an eyebrow. "And what, then, is your excuse, Mr. Black? If I didn't know better, I'd say 'Fun' was your middle name." Without waiting for an answer, she waves them off. "Please behave with a small modicum of decorum this afternoon, please? Is that too much to ask?"

All of three of them murmur promises not to run in the castle anymore – unless being chased by a hungry animal or troll, Ginny interjects – but don't exactly agree to behave in other ways. She lets them go, a tiny but fond smile gracing her lips once her back is to them. The other three continue on, unaware of how they've brightened the staid teacher's day.

"Where to first?" Remus asks as they approach the village, "Since we did miss breakfast, Three Broomsticks might be a good starting point."

"Always thinking with your stomach, eh Moony?" Sirius teases him.

"Better than what _you_ think with," he shoots back at Sirius, with Ginny guffawing loudly at the well-aimed barb.

Sirius snorts with laughter of his own. "Yeah, that was a good one, mate," he smirks, suddenly willing to change the subject, "Let's go get a butterbeer and figure out the plan for the day. And Gin, for the record? That is not true, although I do have spectacular skill in that area."

Remus rolls his eyes as Ginny blushes. She manages to throw a speculative eye Sirius's way, though, and looks at him appraisingly. "First off, I doubt it, and second? You don't know much about women if you think that we want to hear that."

Sirius blushes as Remus snickers. "You don't believe me?" he pouts at Ginny, doing his best to ignore Remus, "Come on, Gin, when have I ever steered you wrong, love?"

"Okay, loverboy," Remus sighs, "Give the lady a break so we can go get some food. I'm getting rather hungry, and I've been looking forward to a hot butterbeer for ages now. Well, since school started, at least."

"I'm hungry, too," Ginny smiles, looping her arm through Sirius's. She's become so comfortable around him as of late, and there was a lot of casual touching involved in that, apparently. She feels guilty over it, thoughts of Harry creeping up at the oddest of times. The part that caused her the most grief, however, was that it seemed like everyday, she thought of him less and less. That's where the majority of her guilt stemmed from.

But then Sirius will smile at her, and she can let herself get so wrapped up in that that even the guilt subsides. Just like he's doing for her now. "What?' she asks softly, smiling up at him.

"Next time, we come alone," he whispers, for her ears only, "I love Moony, but he's sort of the third wheel here, don't you think?"

"That is not very nice," Ginny scolds despite being inwardly pleased with the suggestion. As much as she has come to adore the man both as Remus and as Professor Lupin, there is something to be said about alone time with the boy you cannot seem to get enough of. Then again, having Remus along to chaperone is definitely in Ginny's best interest, more likely to keep her out of the very trouble she seems to be looking for these days. Craving, almost.

"Not trying to be mean," he counters, leaning down so that his lips brush over ear, sending shivers up and down her body. "Can't a bloke just want to be alone with a pretty girl? Take her out?"

Ginny blinks, surprised but unsure why. "You want to take me out?"

He grins. "Yeah, but I'll admit it; I have an ulterior motive," she raises an eyebrow at that, their eyes only for one another as they follow Remus to a table. "See, when you're alone, you kiss me. And I really, really like it when that happens. So it would definitely be to my advantage to get you alone soon."

She shivers, knowing that right now, if they were alone, she'd be snogging the life right out of him. Forcing a coy smile, she brushes past him to take a seat. "I'm not denying anything," she murmurs as she slips past him. He groans aloud when her breasts brush against his chest. Her eyes widen at the contact, but she slips into a chair next to Remus before Sirus can drag her off, as she suspects he is tempted to do.

"Afternoon boys," a much younger Madame Rosmerta greets Remus and Sirius, giving Ginny a bright smile, "I see you have traded up in terms of the company you keep. Hullo dear, I'm Rosie. You are either a really well-developed third year, or you're the transfer student I've been hearing about."

"The latter," Ginny laughs, watching in amusement as Remus practically drools over the older woman, "I'm sure James'll be crushed to hear that I'm a step up compared to him. Oh, his poor ego."

Rosmerta snorts at that. "If that boy is finally with Miss Evans, then I daresay his ego is as out of control as ever."

Ginny and Sirius laugh at that, but poor Remus seems completely oblivious as he stares at her while trying to appear disinterested. He's failing miserably. "Quite right," Sirius grins, reaching out to playfully bump Ginny's hand. Rosie takes their orders (Ginny takes pity on Remus and orders him a sandwich), and leaves. When she's gone, Ginny starts giggling.

"What's so funny?" Remus asks testily, obviously having a good idea at whose expense this particularly joke will be.

"Well, nothing, really, but I know now that it could never work between us. I am definitely not your type," she grins, her eyes darting to Sirius's when he squeezes her hand, "I'm not nearly as, erm, abundant as Rosie is."

Remus's face turns a dull red, brightening further as Sirius cracks up. "That's not – why would you – Ginevra!" Remus finally sputters out.

Sirius continues playing with Ginny's hand, his fingers tracing over the lines on her palm. "I don't know, Gin. From here, your abundance is quite enjoyable. It is definitely working for me, at least."

"Oh, stop," Ginny laughs, rolling her eyes, "That wasn't a fishing for compliments expedition."

He grins back at her knowingly, scooting his chair so close to hers that she is practically sitting between his legs. "Maybe not, but what is wrong with me trying to compliment my girl?"

Ginny goggles at that, and Remus drums his fingers on the table impatiently. "Your mushiness is wrecking my appetite," he complains moodily, and it takes Ginny a minute to realize that the full moon is the next night, and _of course_ he'd be extra testy.

"Anyway," Ginny cuts in when she sees the irritation on Sirius's face (after she's pushed aside her curiosity at Sirius referring to her as his girl!), "After lunch, perhaps we could stop somewhere for some sweets? I owe James seeing as I nicked the last of his chocolate frogs the other day in Transfiguration."

"That was you," Sirius grins, chuckling when she nods, "He blamed me for that, love. You knew that, right?"

"That's because it usually is you," Remus notes, his mood seeming to lighten a bit with the change of topics, "You can't fault him too much for making that assumption. Of course, we should've known. If it'd been you, you wouldn't have gotten away with eating them in McGonagall's class."

"Too right," Sirius grins.

They chat comfortable for awhile more, pausing only when Rosie comes back with the food. A blushing Remus manages to get his thanks out without choking, so Sirius and Ginny give him a quiet, discreet round of applause when she again leaves the table. He waves them off with a rude gesture that only serves to send them into peals of laughter.

When they finish eating, Sirius magnanimously pays for all of them, no doubt a gesture designed to endear himself further to Ginevra. Remus has to wonder how this will go; his friend has _never_ made such a gesture, so he knew this flirtation was something more than just that to Sirius. The problem was, Remus couldn't figure out where Ginny stood. A week or so ago, the both of them had come back from quidditch practice soaked to the bone, but ridiculously happy seeming. James and Peter had both played it off, but Remus had the intuition to see it wasn't a small incident, and whatever happened changed things between the two significantly.

Oddly enough, the only thing the usually verbose Sirius would say was that they had 'talked'. There was no blabbing out any of Ginny's secrets he might have been told, no bragging about why their cheeks were so flushed and their hair and clothing disheveled, and no joking about any of it. To say that was disconcerting to Remus was a vast understatement. Maybe because he hadn't considered it a possibility, it seemed to come out of the blue that Sirius – of all people! – had fallen into this sort of infatuation. But here he was, paying for lunch, opening doors, and holding Ginny's hand as though it were a precious gem he was protecting.

As they walk through the crowded streets of Hogsmeade, Remus groans aloud when he spots Sirius's brother approaching. As Ginny is currently holding Sirius's hand and laughing at something he was saying, she'd just inadvertently given Regulus plenty of ammunition against the both of them. Hoping to avoid an ugly confrontation, Remus tries to lead them off. "Let's go to Zonko's first. It is back the other way."

He gets two odd looks for his efforts, and just when Sirius opens his mouth to question him, Regulus intervenes. "Well, well, what do we have here?"

"Bloody hell," Sirius mutters, trying to drop Ginny's hand as he turns to face his brother. Ginny, for her part, only holds on tighter as she plasters a sickly sweet smile on her face. By Remus's estimation, the situation just deteriorated further. As if an angry Sirius wasn't enough, a sarcastic and combative Ginevra was sure to make a bad situation far, far worse.

Regulus's gaze flickers over Ginny. "You know, I'd actually had such high hopes for you, little one. How sad that you'd end up in Gryffindor with the riff raff, the pureblood traitors, and the other pathetic excuses for wizards."

"More pathetic than you?" she retorts, faux sweetness dripping from her tongue and oozing over the words like syrup. "Somehow I find that truly hard to believe."

"What would you know?" Regulus bites out scathingly, "A slag like you – "

That is all he gets out before Sirius's fist connects with his jaw. "I'll tolerate a lot from you, little boy, but slurs against Ginevra are something I'll never stand for."

Regulus runs a cautious finger over his split and rapidly swelling lip. "Look at you, fighting like a pathetic, helpless Muggle or a filthy Mudblood. Your standards are lowering themselves by the second, brother."

"I am not your brother," Sirius vows, his rigidly held body relaxing slightly when Ginny lays her hands on his shoulders, "James, Remus, and Peter, they're more my brothers than _you_ could ever be. Don't speak about Ginny or any of them, ever again, Reggie, or you'll find yourself beaten in a far less pleasant way be it Muggle or Wizard."

"Your idle threats don't scare me!" Regulus angrily declares, "A worthless Mudblood lover like you and your friends have no business breathing the same air as me!"

"Then stop breathing," Ginny growls at him, "Because we aren't going to, and we aren't bowing down to you and your enormously pathetic wishes. Learn to be a man, like your brother, and think for yourself. It's easy to see why you're out wondering around by yourself when everyone else is having fun with their friends."

Moving between them, Remus glances at Sirius and Ginny. "I think that enough has been said for the day. "Let's go get the chocolate frogs, and perhaps then we can find something else to do."

Sirius nods, still glaring at his brother. "Anything would be better than this," he agrees, managing a smile when Ginny slips her small hand back into his, "Come on, love, my treat."

Ginny throws one last nasty look at Regulus before giving Sirius one of her brilliant smiles. For a second, Remus is almost – no, not jealous – but wistful that those are never smiles that he receives. Still, though, if anyone needed someone like Ginevra in their life as much as he did, it was definitely Sirius. In vastly different ways, their lives were equally difficult. And if Sirius could find a girl and manage to actually capture and keep her attention, then there just had to be some hope for him, too.

"That was a rather boring class," Ginny sighs to Lily and Remus as they leave Ancient Runes, "I think I prefer the lectures rather than time to work on our essays."

"You only say that because you finished yours yesterday," Lily smiles, linking her arm through Ginny's, "Anyway, I'm just glad that classes are over for the afternoon. We have Astronomy lab tonight, but it'll be pleasant to have some time to, erm, myself."

Ginny and Remus exchange knowing looks. "By that you mean time to shag James senseless, right, Lils?" Ginny teases, earning blushes from both of her friends.

"I might be sick," a dry voice bites out angrily behind them, "Of all the mental images that would cause a person to vomit, I think we've found a new low."

Ginny's heart catches in her throat as she recognizes the voice of Severus Snape. Oh, she's seen him around frequently, even sat in the same classrooms as him several times a week, but they haven't exchanged words. He hasn't made any indication that he was even aware of her, and that was just fine by her, too. But now, here he is, talking to them.

Lily stops, her arm dropping Ginny's as she slowly turns to face the boy Ginny knows she considers a friend. "Severus, really, I – "

"I don't want to hear it," he bites out sharply, and while his words aren't as venomous as Ginny knows they will be, they're still remarkably cutting. "You and your pathetic friends, and Potter, he's the worst of them all. But you'll never see that, will you, Lily? You'll never see what a horrible waste of space he is."

"Shut up!" Lily growls, splotches of red appearing on her cheeks in her anger, "You are supposed to be my friend, Severus! How dare you act this way? How dare you put so little stock in my happiness?"

There are a million things Ginny wants to interrupt with, but she keeps quiet, waiting to see how things play out. "Let's go, Lily. You were going to study in the library, remember?"

She nods jerkily, her green eyes filled with tears as she stares at Snape. "I – yes, I do remember that."

"Yes, run along with your little friend, Lily," Snape mutters snidely, glaring hotly at Remus, "He'd soon be howling in agony if he doesn't get his way, right?" At this, Ginny has to roll her eyes. Of course Snape would stoop to that level of petty taunting about Remus's werewolf status, and of course Remus would stiffen up, looking uncomfortable to the point that even Lily can tell something is wrong. "We'd hate for him to let his urges get the best of him, now wouldn't we?"

"What are you on about?" Lily demands of Snape, and Ginny is relieved that her blind spot for the future Potions professor does not remove all of her backbone, "What is your problem, Severus? Are you jealous that I have friends? Are you _still_ angry that I was sorted into Gryffindor? That was years ago!"

His greasy hair falling into his eyes, he glares darkly at his alleged friend. Honestly, Ginny can't see anything in his demeanor towards Lily that would suggest friendship. "How dare you imply that I'd be jealous of these filthy half-breeds!"

Lily's face is a mirror of her confusion. "Half – what are you talking about, Sev? My closest friends in Gryffindor are all pureblood – I'm the only one tainting things," she bites out, angrier than Gin has ever heard her before, "Shouldn't it be me that you'd be angry at then? Aren't I the filthy abomination?"

"I – don't say that," Severus whispers, his voice sounding painfully strangled, "You're not an abomination, Lily. I've never thought that."

"No, but you thought it about every other wizard or witch not of pureblood, haven't you, Severus Snape? Well, guess what? Perhaps I don't want your free pass any longer! Perhaps I don't want to be the only one you don't treat as being something lower than low. From now on, you can treat me as you treat all of my friends!"

He gapes at her back when Lily grabs Remus by the arm and starts leading him down the hallway toward the library for their study session. Ginny stands there with her mouth agape; she's just not sure whether she's shocked at Lily's outburst or by the fact that she's now standing alone in a hallway with Severus Snape.

Just when she regains her senses and starts edging past him, he reaches out and grabs her by the arm. "And just where do you think you're going?" he rasps out harshly. Any tiny amount of sympathy she might've felt for him is immediately eradicated by the malicious glint in his eye. "Now, really, dear, I think you should hear a few truths about these friends you've made for yourself."

"I don't think that anything you have to say is necessary to be heard," she says calmly, trying to wrench her arm out of his grasp, "If you'd please let me go now, I have things to go take care of."

"Someone needs to set you straight on a few things," Snape utters silkily, which sends Ginny's revulsion skyrocketing to an all-time high, "Someone needs to enlighten you on exactly how things work around here."

"And how is that?" she bites out stupidly before she can get herself under control, "Are you going to drag me down to the dungeons and use me for junior Death Eater practice? What will you do, take me down there and rape me and kill me? Isn't that how you and your pathetic friends work? Well, I won't go easy, I'll fight you every step of the way!"

Snape releases her arm, taking a step back as he stares at her in horror. "I've _never_ done those things, and where you get off suggesting I have is beyond me. You stupid little girl, speaking of things you know nothing about!"

She knows that she should shut up, knows that she should just take one step and then another and another until she is safe in Gryffindor Tower, but she keeps picturing Harry bent over Dumbledore's prone body and remembering the horrible blow that was to all of their lives. And maybe this Snape hadn't done it, but he would, someday, and that knowledge wasn't leaving her anytime soon.

"I know that you're a right bloody bastard, the way you treat people! Your pathetic prejudices might carry you through life, might even bring you some sick kind of comfort, but you'll never be more than a miserable, twisted little git!" She takes a step closer to him, her finger jabbing angrily into his chest. "The way you treat Lily, someone who is allegedly your friend, who actually speaks highly of you, is appalling. If I'd known nothing of you before that, it would've been so clear to me what sort of abomination you are."

"_Abomination_," he hisses, his eyes narrowing to thin slits she's not even sure he can see out of, "You dare to call me that? Who do you think you are, girl?"

"I think that I'm someone who has already had her life turned completely upside by your kind, and I'm not going to stand around and wait for it to happen again!' she warns him, hysteria roughening the edges of her voice, "I'll not let you hurt anyone else I care about. I will do whatever it takes to prevent that, Severus Snape!"

"You little slag, how dare you accuse me of anything! You do not know me, and you do not know what I am about!" he yells back, all traces of calmness gone as he glares down at her in a blaze of anger.

Ginny backs up a step, as though suddenly realizing she's crossed the line with him. "I am not scared of you," she mutters, her gaze on him defiant.

He smirks knowingly, nodding when she backs away as he takes a step towards her. "Then why do you back away, little girl?"

"I might not be scared, but I'm also not stupid. I know what your kind does, I know," she hisses, looking him right in the eye, "I know all the things that you'll do, the way you'll betray people, the way you'll kill. You're a sick, twisted boy, and you'll be even worse as a man."

His face pales, a considerable feat when taking into account his normal pallor. "You know nothing, freak!" he exclaims, angrily shoving his hair out of his face, "You stupid, little bint, what are you, some kind of fake seer? I'm none of those things you say, and I never will be!"

"Yes, you will!" she screams, dissolving into violent, gut-wrenching sobs as she shoves him hard away from her. He actually stumbles, falling to the ground from the force behind it. "You're a monster, a monster!"

"Ginevra!" Sirius calls, shaking himself out of his daze and tearing towards her. It was pure chance he'd had the Marauder's Map with him that day; Peter was supposed to have during his detention so he'd know where to find the rest of them after, but he'd forgotten to get it from Sirius. So when Sirius glanced at it to see if he could get it to Peter before McGonagall sent him to Filch and he saw the Ginevra _Weasley_, not _Watson_, dot next to the Severus Snape dot, he'd taken off running. "Hey, shh, love, what happened?" he asks, his breath floating over her ear as he wraps his arms around her from behind, "You're okay, it's all okay."

"Siri," she whispers, her mistrustful eyes on Snape even as she sinks back into Sirius, "I – I hate him, he ruins everything. He ruined everything."

Sirius glances at Snape, almost hoping that his hated enemy has some insight on the situation. Sirius had overheard most of the confrontation and to be quite honest, had no idea what had happened to send Ginny into such a rage. "What the hell did you do to her, Snape?"

Snape glares at him, shaking his head as he watches the two warily and in something akin to fear. "I didn't do anything. She just freaked out, called me a murderer."

Tightening his grasp on Ginny, Sirius kisses her temple. "It's okay, love. He's too much of a coward to even be a murderer. Come on, honey, let's go back to the dorm, okay?"

"He is, Siri," she sobs, turning her head into his shoulder, her hands clutching at the arms he has wrapped around her, "He ruins it, he ruins everything. He hurts everyone, he'll kill him. I know he will. It already happened once."

"She's bloody barmy," Snape whispers, too caught up in Ginny's fear and accusations to remember to glare at the hated elder Black boy.

Sirius ignores Snape, instead focusing completely on Ginevra as he guides her down the hallway, finding an empty classroom. Sitting her down at a desk, he looks around helplessly. "What am I supposed to do?"

As he asks that, it is almost like a light comes on in Ginny, and she sits up straight, pulling her wand out. She first transfigures a couple of old spell books into a pitcher and glasses, and then she conjures some water for both of them. For a second, Sirius is so impressed by the fancy spellwork that he forgets his concern. It comes back to him quickly though, as she brushes away a few stray tears.

"What was that, Gin?"

"How much did you catch?" she asks, swallowing painfully, "I'm sure it was slightly unpleasant, hmm?"

He grins a little at that. "Nah, love. Seeing Snivellus get his is always a pleasant experience. But I am a little worried about you."

She shakes her head, smiling a little at him. "I'm sorry, I almost never cry. I don't know what is the matter with me."

"Ginny, you said – "

"Well, I was a little out of my head there, wasn't I?" she grins, sniffling away the last remnants of her tears, "Anyway, you can't trust anything I was saying. Maybe he's right; maybe I have gone a bit barmy."

He frowns, shaking his head lightly trying to clear it. None of this makes much sense to him, but he doesn't understand enough to confront her on any of it, either. Settling for her pulling her to him, he smiles to himself when she burrows her way closer to him. "Severus Snape is the biggest prat the hallowed halls of Hogwarts has ever seen," Sirius announces pompously, earning a giggle from Gin.

"That's an impressive bit of alliteration, Siri," she sighs, smiling softly. It probably shouldn't be, but being here in his arms is a balm she badly needs at this time. "Thank you, for finding me, I mean. He probably would've had winged bogeys flapping around his face if you hadn't."

"Gin…"

"No, Sirius, just forget it," she sighs, giving him the widest fake smile he'd ever seen, "Please, just drop it. It was nothing, I don't know what I was saying or thinking, and I'd like to forget that I ever talked to that slimy git. Okay?"

Reluctantly, he nods his agreement. But at the same time, all he can think about is what she said, and why she sounded so damn sincere as she'd said it.

Squaring his jaw, he resolved to find out what the bloody hell was going on, regardless of how many times she insisted it was nothing.


	8. Heads in the Sand

A/N: I know, I know! And I'm sorry, really. It's been a long week and a half, and…well, no excuses. Anyway, this is a very long chapter, so hopefully it'll be a nice peace offering? Maybe? Yes?? Right, well, I hope you enjoy! Please leave a note if you can!

Also…the whole story is woefully un-betaed, but this chapter hasn't even been looked over by me, so double (or triple) apologies for the errors.

**Chapter Eight** – _**Heads in the Sand**_

"What on earth is wrong with you?" James asks Lily, irritated at being dragged down the hall by his girlfriend, Remus and a protesting Sirius hot on their heels.

"We have to talk," Lily interjects breathlessly, glancing behind them towards the Transfiguration classroom, "About Ginny."

Sirius stops, eyeing Lily and Remus warily. "What about Gin? What are you on about, wanting to talk behind her back?"

James sighs, shaking his head. Lily gives him a pleading look, and he just shrugs, motioning for her to go on. She looks over at Remus, who picks up the threads of conversation. "There's something – look, I like her as much as any of you, but she's not being truthful. Something – probably many things – that she's told us are lies. She knows too much about some things and far too little about others. There's something off about her."

"There's nothing _off_ about her," Sirius defends stonily, "Really, Evans, I took you for a little better than this. Going behind the back of a girl who just yesterday called you one of the very best friends she'd ever had."

"Look, I know you don't want to see it, Sirius, but something is going on with her! She's known things, all along, that she couldn't possibly know! And yeah, she's really good at playing it off like it was nothing, but the point is, she knows these things. How do you explain that?" Lily demands.

James looks between his friends. "Maybe you're both, I don't know, projecting or something. Gin's fine, and she hasn't been anything but a really great friend to all of us. Or more, in Padfoot's case."

Remus sighs, shaking his head. "The problem is that times are dark right now. Come on, Prongs! You read the paper every morning. I know you pretend like you don't, but we've all seen you glancing at it and frowning. Things are getting worse out there every day. And I don't think we can afford to let our guards fall by the wayside because we like the girl."

"That's shite and you know it, Moony!" Sirius bursts out, angry as any of them have ever seen him, "You're jumping to these ridiculous conclusions because she's said a few things that were weird or out of the blue."

"What about what happened with Severus?" Lily asks quietly, staring at her hands, "Come on, Black, you know that I want this all to be nothing as much as anyone here, but people don't say things like that to complete strangers! You cannot tell me that that didn't give you pause, make you think that things were weird there."

And he couldn't. But he didn't want his friends involved in this, either. Ginny's secrets didn't need to be known by all of them. If she told him, if she wanted him to know, then that was one thing, but the rest of them…it wasn't their place. And he certainly didn't want them poking into her business behind her back, even if he was going to do the same thing. The more of them doing it the worse it would be when Ginny found out.

These were his best friends, though, and truth be told, he was worried about where things stood with Ginny. Not between them personally, but just with the things she's said. Her name on the map…that was the one thing he couldn't get over. _Weasley_. Ginevra _Weasley_. Why would it show the wrong name? He'd been tempted to ask Padfoot and Moony, but he couldn't bring himself to do it.

Shaking his head, he tells them, "No, there's nothing wrong with her. Leave things be."

"Sirius," Lily pleads, reaching out and grabbing his hand, "Please, I love Ginny. I do, she's – she's like a sister to me, and I've only known her a couple of months. I want her to be just what she says, but there are too many things, too many inconsistencies for me to allow myself to believe that. Let's at least talk about this."

"There's nothing to talk about!" he exclaims stonily, turning desperate eyes on James for support. James sighs, but nods. "And you shouldn't listen to Snivellus, anyway. He probably blew everything out of proportion."

James looks back and forth between the two warily. "What did he say, exactly? Sirius, how much did you overhear?"

When Sirius doesn't answer, Lily jumps back in. "She accused him of being a Death Eater, even suggested that he'd take her down to the dungeons and – and _hurt_ her."

"Well, we don't really know that he wouldn't, do we?" James sighs, holding his hand up to wave off Lily's protests, "And besides, that's probably mine and Sirius's fault, that she thinks that. She's had an earful from us about Snape, so she probably just picked up on that. Come on, Lils, that's a reasonable explanation."

"But James!" Lily cries, "She said that he'll 'kill him'! She said that it already happened once! Honestly, Severus thought she was some kind of seer, but that's utterly preposterous, right?"

"I heard that part," Sirius admits quietly, "It was – I don't know, she seemed so sure when she said it, too." He can barely believe that he's telling them this, but here it was. "It was weird, okay?"

Lily reaches out, patting him sympathetically on the arm. "It's okay, Sirius. Maybe it's nothing, but we won't know that until we…investigate a little."

"Investigate what?" James asks, frowning as though the idea were distasteful.

"Everything," Remus chips in, shrugging lightly, "Her story, her time at Beauxbatons, her family, where she grew up. Anything that can help us figure out if her story is true or not."

Sirius pales, already imagining what Ginny would say if – or worse, when – she found out about this stuff. "No, no investigation. I – I'll ask her. It's – I owe her that, trying to get it from her first. She doesn't deserve us going behind her back like that, okay?"

Remus and Lily exchange glances, but James nods immediately. He's definitely with Sirius in that he doesn't want to risk their friendship with Ginevra, and if trying to get her to tell them herself would piss her off, it was nothing compared to what going behind her back would do. "I think that's the best way to do it."

Reluctantly, Lily nods, too. "Okay, yes, we'll try that. Maybe all of us can try, too. But if that doesn't work in a reasonable amount of time, then Sirius, we'll have to figure it out for ourselves. Because her story doesn't quite add up, and she's just not acted quite right."

"Fine," Sirius sighs, eager to agree to ask Ginny about it if it meant they didn't have to go behind her back for anything. He just knew that would devastate her, and despite his reputation as someone who didn't care much about other people, he didn't want to hurt her for anything. "If this is nothing…if it turns out to be nothing, she'll be devastated."

"And we'll take the blame for that," Remus offers, referring to himself and Lily, "It's only fair, since neither of you really want much part in it."

"I hate this," James sighs, shaking his head, "She has been a really great friend, and it feels like we're betraying her. I don't like that feeling."

"How do you think I feel?" Sirius mutters darkly, staring at the wall over James's head, "After what happened to her family, isn't it a little wrong to do this to her? To force her hand and make her tell us things she may not be ready to discuss?"

Lily nods, but still looks resolved. "I know, this is hard for me, too!" she counters, "But come on, she acted like she knew for a fact that Severus had killed someone. Doesn't that seem strange? Doesn't it raise any flags to you?"

Knowing there was only one answer, Sirius gives a half-nod. "Yeah, it's weird, but it doesn't necessarily mean something horrible about Gin. Maybe giving her the benefit of the doubt would be a fair thing here."

"With You-Know-Who out there, can we really afford that?" Remus asks practically, running a nervous hand through his dirty blonde hair, "I feel badly about this, too, but it just makes sense. She practically fell out of the sky into our lives, and too many things don't make sense. You have to push her to tell you, Pads."

"I said I would, didn't I?" Sirius growls, standing up so fast he knocks his chair over, "Just bugger off, all of you!"

The remaining three look at each other as he storms off. Lily leans her head back, sighing wearily. "Well, that went well, eh?"

James shakes his head. "I told you it wasn't a good idea. I don't even think he recognizes how close he is to her yet, but he's too biased. He won't be able to push her on this, I hope you know that."

"We know," Remus says softly, something on the ground apparently fascinating as he won't make eye contact with James any longer, "That's why we kind of figure that we should pursue the answers on our own."

"No," James says swiftly, not even thinking about it, "No, give him the chance that he just agreed to. Let him try, at least. Come on, Moony, look at how he is now! If he chooses sides, what side do you think he'll be choosing?"

Lily sighs, running a hand through her abnormally disheveled hair. "I know, James. We both know that. But…admit it, things are strange. Something here doesn't add up, and if the situation was reversed, you know Ginny would be the first one in line calling for us to figure out what was going on. Just like she was when the train was attacked."

"Isn't that proof that she's on our side, then?" James argues tiredly.

"Not necessarily," Remus sighs, "Look, Prongs, I know this is – "

"No, you don't know, obviously," James bite out, his sharp tone taking both Lily and Remus aback, "Because if you had any clue what this is going to do to Sirius, you wouldn't be pushing him like this. You just wouldn't."

Remus blushes, having the grace to look shame-faced. His voice is low and quiet when he responds. "I don't want to hurt him, Prongs. You know that. But I don't want him to get hurt by her, either."

Lily reaches out, touching James lightly on the back. "James, you know we care about them both. This isn't about hurting them. What if – what if Ginny knows something that could protect people? What if, when her family was attacked, she gleaned some bit of knowledge that could help in the fight against the Death Eaters? Let's face it, they aren't going anywhere fast. They'll be out there, ready to fight us this summer after we graduate. If whatever she's hiding could help, isn't that a good thing?"

"But you don't really believe that, neither of you do," James argues, "And that's the problem. You're just making trouble where there doesn't have to be any."

"There does, though," Remus sighs tiredly, "This isn't like our first year, when life was simple. Things are different now, and we're going to have make the hard decisions. This was a hard decision."

James gives them both a hard, assessing look, but then nods in resignation. "I suppose it was," he agrees, "And I do get it, but…."

"It's Gin," Lily finishes for him, "I know. We both know. And we feel the same way, James. Believe me, all that I want from this is to find out that we're all just on edge because of the train attack and the things we read about in the papers every day. Nothing would make me happier than that."

"Okay," James sighs, "After Sirius takes his try at getting her to talk about things, let me have one, too. Maybe she'll talk to me, even if she can't talk to him."

Lily nods her agreement immediately. "No, of course, James! And I'm going to try, too! We all will try, and it won't matter who it is if she'll just open up to one of us."

Sighing, James nods. "Didn't you tell me that you promised to back off and let her come to you when she was ready?"

Lily blushes bright red, ducking her head slightly as she nods. "Yes, I did," she admits, glancing up to meet his gaze, "And I feel horrible about that. But Jamie, that was before the confrontation with Severus. I cannot ignore that."

"Right, protect that prat," James mutters, rolling his eyes, "Good form, Lils."

"This isn't about protecting Severus!" Lily argues, defending herself on this one, "I – I wouldn't bother anymore. Not after how he's acted, I know that I can't – can't make excuses for him."

Remus raises an eyebrow at that, and James has her suffering under another one of his assessing looks, as though she is waiting for his judgment. To her relief, he gives her a faint smile, holding his hand out for her to take. "I won't insult the intelligence of any of us by saying that I'm sorry that it has come to this, Lils, but I am sorry if it hurts you."

She chokes out a surprised laugh at that, eyeing him with enough suspicion that he pouts and Remus laughs at the two of them. "Well, then, I suppose this is my cue to leave the two of you to your flirting. I'd – I'd like to find Pads anyway." He glances at James, his eyebrows rising significantly. "It would be nice if I knew where to find him, but certain methods are eluding me. Any idea on that?"

James furrows his brow, thinking on it for a moment. He gives it up as a bad job after a few seconds, shrugging. Haven't seen it in awhile, Moony. Dunno where it is."

"Thanks, Remus," Lily smiles softly at him, shooting a quizzical look at James who just smiles benignly.

He nods, giving them a wave over his shoulder as he takes off in the same direction as Sirius. While Remus knows that it probably bothers Sirius that Lily is pushing for this, it was definitely bothering him a lot worse that one of his best friends would push for it. Therefore, finding Sirius and talking it out was Remus's current priority.

When he finally catches up to him, his friend has made his way out to the shores of the lake where he is currently pissing off the variety of creatures that inhabit it by peppering them with thrown rocks. "What are you doing out here, Moony?" Sirius asks without looking up, "Don't you have some Muggle defectiving to do?"

Remus grins at that. "I believe it is called 'detective', and no, I don't. We meant what you said; if you can find things out, then there's no reason to look into things without her permission." He glances over at Padfoot, sighing at his stony expression. "James asked if he could try talking to her, if she doesn't talk to you. There's a lot of opportunity for her to come clean, Sirius."

Sirius nods, staring out at the lake as he drops the last few rocks he was holding. "You've been suspicious of her since day one."

"I doubt it helps at all, but I tried not to be. And more than that, I really wish there wasn't a reason to be, but Pads…"

"Yeah, I know," Sirius sighs, running a hand through his already messy hair, "I know. I just – what the hell do you think is going to happen? It's not like Ginny is going to turn around one day and start shooting the killing curse at any of us! Or anyone else, for that matter!"

"I never thought that," Remus says quietly, his calmer nature actually having the effect of causing supreme irritation in Sirius, "But it's better to be safe, isn't it?"

Sirius shrugs. "I guess so, mate."

Remus moves to stand in front of him, forcing Sirius to meet his eyes. "I am sorry about all this, Pads."

"I know," Sirius agrees quietly, "I know you are, but…I'm still plenty hacked off about it, okay?"

Nodding, Remus turns to stare out at the lake like his friend is. He allows himself a small smile, knowing things between them will be okay.

To the surprise of no one, Sirius hadn't even attempted asking Ginevra about her past yet. He just couldn't bring himself to do it, not when things were actually progressing well between the two of them. The only thing that was really holding him back was the fact that her named still showed as _Weasley_ on the map. There was no logical explanation for that, and he'd talked himself into many circles trying to come up with one.

"Whatever are you brooding about now?" Ginny asks, grinning as she enters the common room to find him staring into the fireplace, "Honestly, Black, all this moping, I don't even know what to do with you."

"Not moping, love," he grins, jumping to his feet, "As a matter of fact, I was thinking."

She smirks, "I see. That does explain the intense look of concentration on your face. It was either that or constipation."

He pouts, reaching out to tickle her sides. "Well, as a matter of face, I'd been planning something for you. But if you'd rather just stay here and make fun of me, well, that would be far easier to arrange."

"Oh!" she grins, leaning into him slightly;, "Do tell! What on earth have you been planning, Sirius Orion Black?"

"H – hey! How did you know my middle name?" he growls, his hands clasping on her hips, "It was Potter, wasn't it? I'll kick his arse!"

She reaches out, poking him in sharply in the belly. "I think it's nice. A nice name." He pouts at the proclamation of it being 'nice'. "Hmm, nice doesn't work then?" He gives her puppy dog eyes, which she figures he knows a thing or twelve about. "Okay, it's sexy. A sexy name. Is that better?"

He grins at that, leaning down to brush his lips over hers. "Sexy is always a better adjective than nice, unless you're describing some other fellow. But you wouldn't do that, right, Gin?"

"Oh, I don't know, that friend of Frank's, the one with the big – "

He cuts her off with his lips, his tongue tracing over hers before he pulls back. "Not nice, Miss Ginevra."

"But sexy?" she asks sweetly, batting her eyelashes.

"You? Always," he grins, as she sits down on the chair across from him, "So, as I was saying before you so rudely sidetracked me, I've been thinking."

"'Bout what?"

"You, me, and the most fabulous first date ever," he smiles, but it melts into a full-blown grin when she looks up at him, her mouth a delighted 'O' of surprise. "I have it all planned out, Gin, if you'll trust me for a bit."

She leans forward in her chair, her eyes alight with excitement. "I trust you, Siri. You know I trust you, right?"

Sirius mimics her actions, leaning forward until he is close enough to touch her knee. "I'm glad to hear that. But this might push the boundaries of trust just a smidgen. There may be some, ah, _minor_ rule breaking involved."

"How minor?" she giggles, inwardly wanting to rub her hands together and squeal in delight – he was going to take her on a Marauder adventure, she was just sure of it!

"Well, sneaking out of the castle through a secret passageway to Hogsmeade, apparating to London, and returning quite well after curfew minor," he whispers, scooting to the edge of his chair so he can kiss her cheek, "Hardly even a risk at all."

She does squeal now, giggling when he shushes her, not wanting attention drawn to them. "Siri, that is the best idea I've ever heard!" she whispers. She pauses, looking at him with wide eyes. "I can't believe you'd plan something so elaborate."

He grins. "Me either. It's certainly a first for me," he admits wryly, "But this – I want it to be special. Because _you_ are special, Miss Watson."

"This – oh, bloody hell, I'm _so_ excited!" she laughs, flinging herself at him. He catches her, leaning back into his chair, slouched down with her on top of him. When she realizes their position, she blushes to the roots of her hair, but the smile stays on her face. "Thanks. Erm, when will this date be? It's nice to have something to look forward to, for a change."

"Well, you won't have very long to look forward to it," he grins, "Since tonight is Halloween, which is apparently a big thing for Muggles, I thought we'd go tonight. Celebrate."

"Oh, tonight? Tonight," she muses, glancing around the common room, "That's perfect! Everyone else will be occupied with the feast, and will never notice if we sneak out of the castle! You're brilliant, Black!"

Sitting up and securing her on his lap, he smiles at her. "Well, I hate to be immodest, but you're right, I am rather brilliant, aren't I?"

She laughs, dropping a quick kiss on his nose. "Bloody brilliant," she agrees, her warm eyes sparkling with excitement and what he hopes is happiness, "When are we going? Where are we going? Oh! What should I wear, do I need to bring anything?"

"I just have to borrow something from James, but we can leave whenever you're ready. Just put on your best Muggle clothes, and I can't tell you anymore, or it'll ruin the surprise," he teases. She opens her mouth to ask something else, but he places his hand over it gently. "No more questions, Ginevra."

"Fine," she pouts, climbing off his lap, "My _best _Muggle clothes? Like dress up, or just…nice?"

"Just dress warm, love," he grins, his hand reaching out to swat her rear to get her moving towards the staircase, "Go on, then, Gin. Hurry up! I'll meet you down here in twenty minutes?"

She grins, nodding as she knows that everyone else will have left for the feast by then, and they could sneak out as necessary. Luckily for her, she finds her dormitory empty, as she knows that Lily would've had a million and one questions about her plans, and the other girls wouldn't be too far behind.

Ginny has never been one to fuss over clothes and her appearance, but something about tonight's date has her standing in front of her wardrobe longer than usual. She flips through all her clothing twice, finally deciding on a pretty cream colored sweater that, when she wore the appropriate makeup, did not make her look entirely washed out. For the purpose of driving Sirius crazy, she also slipped into the tightest pair of jeans that she had in her trunk.

Once her outfit is laid out, she sits down on the bed, her heart beating madly. She shouldn't be this…deliriously ecstatic to be going on a date with Sirius, but there it was. And after all, why was she surprised? She'd been touching or kissing him constantly since that day on the Quidditch pitch, so excitement over a first official date shouldn't be out of the blue as it sort of felt.

She…_liked_ him, immensely. It was different than how she liked Harry, and if she was to allow herself to think on it, she'd probably realize that it was the difference between first love and…a more mature…oh, hell, she didn't want to associate the 'love' word with Sirius Black. Godric, talk about a doomed romance. Shaking her head, a small smile on her face, she banishes those thoughts. She knew what the future held, but she also knew that time is fluid and it doesn't have to happen the same way. She pushes all the negative thoughts away, concentrating on dressing so she can go and meet Sirius.

Once she manages to resolve to enjoy herself, because really, she has no reason not to, her mood is just as good as it was when she left Sirius in the common room, and she rushes to finish dressing. The second she has dressed and put on a bit of the needed makeup, she throws a few things into a purse and grabs her cloak. Then she's rushing the down the stairs, a huge smile on her face.

He's there, waiting at the bottom of her stairs, holding a small bouquet of wildflowers. She beams as he hands them to her. "I, erm, I conjured them. I'm not as good as James or Remus, but – "

"They're more than perfect!" she exclaims, cutting off further explanations with her lips on his, "Thank you."

"You really like them?" he asks, relief mixed in with his normal swagger, "Well, good, then. Let's go, love, the more time we have out tonight, the better."

"I agree," Ginny smiles, taking his arm when he offers it to her, "So, we have to sneak out of the castle, then?"

He nods, taking her hand as he leads her out of the portrait hole. "That we do. Don't worry, though, it's far easier than it sounds."

Raising an eyebrow, she looks at him appraisingly. "Oh, do tell already, Sirius. I cannot stand the suspense."

Wriggling his eyebrows at her, he pulls out the Invisibility Cloak that currently belongs to James. Even though she'd been expecting it, her mouth drops open as she reaches out to lightly trace her fingers over it. "It's – oh, erm, I mean, is this - ?"

"Yeah, it's an Invisibility Cloak," Sirius grins, "Borrowed it from James, I did. Here, let's slip under it. I'm a little tall to share it with anyone, even one as tiny as you, so we'll have to walk all pressed up against one another."

"Oh, and that's such a hardship, I'm sure?" she smirks, stepping closer to him as he drapes it over the both of them, "Let's go then, Siri!"

Grinning, he cocks an eyebrow at her. "Excited much?" She puts her hands on her hips, giving him her best exasperated look. "Okay, okay, we're going," he chuckles.

He positions his big body behind hers, his hands on her shoulders as he guides her through the halls. They whisper quietly to each other, laughing when they inadvertently startle a pair of sixth year Ravenclaws who are scurrying to the feast in the Great Hall. Ginny smacks Sirius's hands whenever they start to wander a little too familiarly, which of course is fairly often. He just grins unrepentantly in each instance, waiting for his next opportunity.

Once they're safely in the tunnel, the cloak stashed for their return, Ginny looks up at him. "How did you guys find these things?" she asks, "Did you just stumble upon them?"

"Not exactly," he smiles, "Our first year, all four of us spent nearly all of our free time exploring the castle, and we were rather good at listening to the older students, too. We found some of it on our own, we heard some of it, and we lucked out on the rest."

"Sounds like fun," she smiles wistfully, thinking of her own friend-less nightmare of a first year, "You all were so lucky to have made such good friends so quickly."

"I have a very hard time imaging that you didn't have a million and one friends within the first day of your first year, Ginevra."

She shrugs, smiling wryly. "I had a hard time my first year. Things did not go at all well for me," she sighs, "I was possessed by an enchanted diary."

He bursts out laughing, expecting her to join in, as she _had_ to be having him on, right? When she doesn't, he nearly chokes, eyeing her skeptically. "Are you serious, then? Gin! How the bloody hell could that happen?"

"Someone slipped it into my cauldron when we were shopping for our school necessities," she sighs, "And even though my father always warned us about these things, I continued writing in it even when it started writing back. Stupid, yes?" She shakes her head. "It – I did horrible things when I was possessed. T – he showed me awful things, all under the guise that he was my friend. And really, in a way, he rather was my only friend that year."

"Aw love," Sirius sighs, pulling her to him, "I'm sure you've heard it a few times, but that isn't your fault. None of it was."

She rolls her eyes. "I _literally_ unleashed a monster on the school," she sighs, shrugging, "Luckily I didn't cause any permanent damage to any of the victims. It was a rather petrifying experience."

He takes her hand in his, giving it a light squeeze. "Then you're even more amazing then I already knew." He grins when she blushes. "I mean it, to overcome that, Gin, is pretty incredible. It would take a lot of strength."

"Thanks," she whispers, much of the stress of relating that particular story dissipating when they hit the end of the tunnel, "We're in Hogsmeade then?"

"That we are!" he grins, pleased to see her shake off the somber mood so quickly, "This tunnel comes out in the base of an old fir tree on the edge of town. There are a few others we know of, ones that lead directly to the shops or the Shrieking Shack."

"I gather that these are decidedly not common knowledge then?" she smiles when he winks, shaking his head. "Hmm, I wonder what McGonagall would say if she knew…."

He plays along, mock gasping at her. "Old Minerva? She, my dear, was a Gryffindor, in case you had not know, and a wily one at that! She probably knows all of them, and used most of them in her days here."

She laughs. "Well, we're here now, and I believe you mentioned apparating to Muggle London?" she prompts, giggling when he wraps his arms around her.

"Have you ever done a side-along?" he asks, then rolls his eyes at the question, "Never mind, you are from a wizarding family, so of course you have." He smile widely down at her. "Hold on tight."

She does as instructed, fitting herself snugly against his chest. "You going to tell me where we're going or what we're doing?"

He laughs at her impatience, shaking his head. "Just hold on, Gin. You'll see and find out soon enough, right?" She squeezes him tight to remind him that she already is holding on tight to him. "Alright, here we go."

Ginny shuts her eyes tightly as she suffers through the familiarly unpleasant feeling of side-along apparition. It was far better, in Gin's mind at least, to apparate yourself, but seeing as how she wouldn't know where to go, that would be an unmitigated disaster. She tentatively opens her eyes, looking around. Although he has apparated them to a park or hidden copse, she can still hear the hustle and bustle of evening London all around them, and as she lets him go, she claps her hands together happily.

"You like?" he asks, grinning when she answers him with a beaming smile, "Good, now there is this great little restaurant around here that serves amazing Thai food."

"Tie food?" she repeats, her brow furrowed.

He grins. "No, love, _Thai_ food like the country. It's delicious, Gin. I guarantee that you're to love it. Plus the kitchen is open, and it is fun to watch them chop and cook the Muggle way." He grabs her hand, pulling her along with him. "Just don't order pumpkin juice or butterbeer. You'll confuse the Muggles."

"I wasn't born yesterday," she laughs, peering up at him, "How did you become introduced to Muggle ethnic food, anyway?"

"Ah," he sighs as he tugs her across the street with him, semi-heedless of the traffic zipping around them, "Well, you see, my ancestral family home is not too far from here. A few years ago, before I was officially added to the list of _persona non grata _Blacks, I wanted to take the piss out of my mother. Believe it or not, spending her gold at a Muggle establishment was more than enough to worsen my relationship with her."

"It must be hard," she comments lightly, not sure how deep he's willing to go into this topic, "Having that kind of relationship with your family. Don't get me wrong, there've been plenty of times I've wanted to hex the bits right off of my brothers or even been dreadfully angry with my mother, but it has never been like that."

He smiles, unperturbed by the questioning that usually sets his teeth on edge. Somehow, coming from her, it was easier to handle. "Well, my mother is a special case, Gin. She – well, she, along with the vast majority of my family and extended family, support you-know-who! By not throwing in with their way of thinking, I effectively made myself the Black's black sheep."

Ginny takes his hand, swinging it along with hers. "Well, come on," she grins, remembering the hateful woman in the portrait on the dark walls at 12 Grimmauld Place, "Let's go enjoy the Muggle food and think of all the ways it would irritate your mother."

Shaking his head, Sirius denies that suggestion. "No, this was a bad idea, Love. Let's you and me find a place together that won't be tainted by my family. You're too perfect to be touched by our taint in any way."

"Oh, Sirius," she sighs, her free hand reaching up to softly drift over his face, "There is nothing they can do to ruin this night. We can eat this heavenly Thai food of yours, and it has absolutely nothing to do with them."

"Right," he agrees wryly, "So let's stop talking about them. Come on, let's walk until we find somewhere that looks to both of us. Tonight is just about us, yeah?"

She nods her agreement, smiling at him as she tucks an errant lock of hair behind her ear. "Yeah," she says softly, her hand shifting in his so that she can lace their fingers together, "I'm glad you invited me out tonight, Siri."

"Me too," he smiles, stopping and stooping low to kiss her. "Have I told you that you look absolutely smashing tonight?"

"Not yet," she grins, "But I am not at all opposed to spending the rest of the night hearing it. If you feel the need to lavish compliments on me, we, who am I to stop u?"

Depite her teasing, he regards her seriously. "You are so damn beautiful." Her mouth opens as she prepares to protest, but once again, he cuts her off. "No, I mean it. You – you amaze me, Gin. I have never, _ever_ felt like this about anyone, but you – you are so bloody special, love."

Tears fill her eyes, and she ducks her head, reluctant to let him see them as she tries to blink them back. No one has ever talked to her this sweetly. Oh, she wasn't unaware that boys found her attractive; after all, they weren't the most subtle of creatures. But all the same, none had ever made her _feel_ beautiful like Sirius is now. In fact, aside from her father, Bill, and Charlie, she was sure no male had ever actually referred to her as such before.

"Thank you," she finally manages, looking into his eyes with a brilliant smile on her face, "Kiss me? Please?"

He wasn't going to turn down a pretty offer like that, so before she even finished her 'please', he was bending low to press his lips to hers. He keeps it light at first, his lips just brushing over hers. But when she makes an impatient noise in the back of her throat, he growls and pulls her tight against him. Her lips are soft and pliant under his, but by no means passive. She gives as good as she gets, and for all he pulls her against him, she is sliding her arms around his neck and running her hands through his hair.

His lips trail down her cheek and then across her jaw. It is so easy to get lost in the moment that he doesn't even consciously realize his hands are on her bum until she moans and wriggles against him. Surprisingly enough, rather than clouding his mind further, this instead snaps him out of it, making him aware of their surroundings.

"You have this pull," he tells her, smiling wryly as he backs slightly away from her, "And I want to be as close to you as physically possible."

"And it still wouldn't be quite enough," she sighs under her breath, sucking in the cool night air through her nose in an effort to slow down her racing heart. "I suppose that we should go find a restaurant now, hmm? Oh! Oh, Sirius, how about we go to one of those movings things?"

He frowns, confused by the request. "Movings things? I'm not sure what you mean, Gin."

She sighs in exasperation, glaring as though it was his fault that she was being unclear. "Like a photograph, only with the talking and music. Oh, really, Siri, we can get food at those, right? And see one? I've always wanted to."

"A movie, you mean?" he grins, surprising himself by how enchanted he finds her enthusiasm over the Muggle entertainment, "Suppose we could go for that. Get some food there, why not?" She cheers, doing a little dance of joy that has her bouncing in the most delicious of ways. "There's a theater just a couple of blocks away. Ready?"

"Very!" she grins happily, truly delighted with the idea of seeing her first Muggle movie and finding out what the fuss was about, "Thank you, by the way."

"For what?"

She grins. "For letting my whims change the plans tonight. You had this whole amazing thing planned, and I've just come in here like a Hippogriff on Pepper-Up potion and thrashed everything. How do you like that?"

Shrugging, he smiles. "This isn't just my date, Ginevra. I want us to do whatever makes you happy. Incidentally, that should also be what gives me the best shot at being able to rest my hands on your delightful bum again."

"Sirius!" she shrieks, laughing when he grabs her in a huge hug, swinging her around in circles. "Put me down, you fool!"

"Oi, you wound me, Miss Ginevra! For if I am a fool, it is a fool for you," he intones dramatically, neither of them noticing or caring about the knowing looks a couple of Muggle couples are giving them as they walk past.

"Well, you are definitely a fool," she laughs, "And you can work on convincing me what kind later. For now, you can put me down. There is hardly a need to carry me to the…movie?"

Sirius grins, setting her down as requested. "Really, there were two very good reasons to carry you all the way to the theater," he winks, mock leering at her, "And both of those reasons were pressing deliciously into my back."

She frowns, unsure of his meaning for a second. It quickly dawns on her, though, and when she gasps in either shock or anger, Sirius decides not to chance it and takes off towards the theater in a run. She's spurred into action a few seconds later, taking off after him. "Sirius Black, don't you _dare_ leave me alone here!" she yells after him. He turns around, jogging backwards for a few steps as he waves at her cheerfully. "Oi, you prat!"

When she catches up to him, she jumps on his back like she used to do with Bill and Charlie when she was little. He reaches behind himself, catching her to him. She wraps her arms around his neck, and he finds that he gets his wish, carrying her to the theater with her breasts pressed into his back the rest of the way to the theater.

Once there, he bends down enough that Gin can jump off. It turns out the theater is running old classic movies, and they inspect each movie poster and the printed descriptions trying to decide which looks most interesting. Sirius manages to talk her into the 'Wizard of Oz' as he is fascinated by the Muggle interpretation of witches that the poster depicts.

"How many movies have you see?" she asks as they take their seats, "Probably hundreds, right?"

"No, not even close," he chuckles, "But I have seen a few. Maybe five, I'd guess, at the most. But…I've never seen a movie with another person, so this is pretty exciting to me."

She gives him a sweet smile. "Well, I'm glad to be sharing my first time with you. The movie hasn't even started, and I'm already having a really great night."

He glances at her sideways, smiling to himself as the movie starts. They both settle into their seats, getting comfortable. Throughout the entirety of the show, he finds himself watching Ginny almost as much as the movie itself. Her reactions are so open, so honest, that he is honestly and utterly fascinated by her. When the movie fades and the credits roll, she lets her head fall back, turning to smile at him.

"Aside from the ridiculous ideas on witches and what we look like, that was absolutely the very best thing ever," she enthuses.

"I'm glad you liked it then," he grins, standing up and stretching, "Maybe we'll be able to come see another one soon, eh?"

"I would love that," she smiles, taking his hand so he can pull her up out of her seat, "Muggles are bloody brilliant with their movies, aren't they? What a wonderful source of entertainment. It beats trying to figure out wandless ways to transfigure things into spiders to scare my brother."

They walk out hand in hand, and when they're hit by the cold air as they step outside, Ginny tugs on his hand, pulling him down an alley way. "What're you doing?" he asks when she pulls her wand out, "Gin! No!"

"Relax," she whispers after performing a warming spell on the both of them, "There aren't any Muggles around. I checked!"

He shrugs. "Better safe than sorry, though!" He glances down at his watch. "What say you we find somewhere to kip for awhile? Got to say, I could use a bite right about now. That movie food is rubbish."

She smiles, taking his hand. "I don't think it is meant to be a meal. But I'd like that. If we didn't, then we'd have no excuse to stay out, and I really don't want this night to end yet, Siri."

"We could stay forever," he grins, "Who needs school, right?"

She giggles at that. "Oh, yes, knowledge is so overrated. I'd much rather we all fumbled around like simpletons rather than learn anything, wouldn't you?"

"Who are you calling a simpleton?" he pouts, the frown sliding off his face when she tugs him down for a kiss, "I think you like kissing me, Ginevra."

Grinning at him, she shrugs impishly. "And if I did? Are you saying that it is a bad thing? Because I could break myself of that, pretty easily, I'm thinking. If you insisted, of course."

Growling, he wraps his hands over her hips, pulling her to him in what is undoubtedly the most intense kiss she's ever had the good luck to be a part of. His hands steal over her body in fleeting caresses as though he owns it, and for a second (or maybe a few minutes or even an hour), she is ready to declare it his. If he could make her feel, _burn_, like this forever, then she'd have no problem losing herself in him.

It is with great reluctance that Sirius pulls himself back from her. Somehow, he didn't get the feeling she'd appreciate the ways he was touching her much longer considering they were standing on a busy street in Muggle London. She's so beautiful, though, with her eyes half closed and her kiss-swollen lips barely parted. He brushes his fingers through her beautiful hair. She's such a new thing to him, what she represents and how she interacts with him. She is the complete opposite of everything he knew growing up, lightness where he'd only known darkness before.

"Mmm, Gin, we have to stop," she sighs, groaning when her lips find his neck, "Some of the Muggles are starting to stare like we're animals at one of their zoos."

She nips lightly at his Adam's apple before drawing away from him. "Sorry, I guess I got a little away from myself," she blushes, glancing around, "I don't – I mean, I'm not – despite how I've probably acted, I'm not – "

"Oh, Gin, I know that!" he interrupts her, unable to take her nervous babbling, "Love, I do know that. Oh, bloody hell, I love that you get away from yourself with me. I like that I can do that to you."

"I'll bet you do," she laughs wryly, shaking her head, "But Sirius, I've never…you _know_, and I don't – don't have plans to either, not at the moment, and – "

He bends back down to her, parting her lips with his. "I – I'll take whatever you want to give me," he whispers against her mouth, "And I won't ask for more than that, ever." He pulls back, grinning. "Actually, I might ask, but I won't push you into anything you don't really want. But I don't think I can go without asking."

She laughs at that even as he presses a kiss to her cheek. "I guess that asking isn't so bad then. And I suppose you'll never know when I'll say yes," she teases.

"Brat," he mutters, his eyes dancing delightedly as they walk hand in hand down the street. When he notices where they are, he stops short, his entire body tensing. "Bloody, buggering hell, I ought to pay better attention to where I am."

"Where - ?" Ginny starts to ask, breaking off when she realizes that they are at his ancestral home. It is obviously not under the Fidelius charm, but she can tell that there are plenty of Muggle repelling charms around. Probably a good thing, that. "Siri, are you okay?"

"It's my – erm, this is where my family lives. My mother and my brother are the only ones still there, and Reg is at Hogwarts, of course," he rambles, something she has never heard him do before, "I – she might be home now."

She glances up at him, concern etched across her lovely features. "Did you – you didn't want to go in, did you?"

He snorts out a bitter laugh. "Not a chance," he grins, squeezing her hand gently, "It's just that I haven't been back here in a couple of years now. Not since the Potters let me start staying with them over the summer and during the hols."

Leaning her head on his shoulder, she tries to offer him as much nonverbal support as she can. He just stares at the house, and for a bit, she wonders what he is looking for. She doesn't want to interrupt him, but her warming charm is wearing off, and they can't stand out here all night.

"Hey, let's go find a place that serves hot chocolate, hmm?" she offers, shaking his hand in hers a little in an attempt to bring him back to her, "Come on, these Muggles must have chocolate, right?"

"I think they do," he answers after staring at her like he wasn't seeing her for almost a full minute, "Come on, then, we'll find somewhere that serves it."

She smiles at him tentatively. "If you wanted to look a little longer, that'd be fine, Sirius," she says softly, bumping her shoulder into his arm, "I imagine that no matter the circumstances, it is always hard when a house is no longer your home."

"This place was never a home to me, Gin," he sighs tiredly, "I hated it here. Even before I knew why I hated it or even knew what hate was, I loathed this place. That house is poison. No one should have to live there, especially children."

"Especially you," Ginny declares fervently, reaching up to brush her fingers through hi8s hair, "I wish it would've been different for you. You deserve so much better."

He shakes his head. "How do you figure? I'm hardly the nicest guy in the world, and you know that. I am about as far from perfect as a guy can get," he smiles, but there is a disturbing sadness and frustration behind it.

It is on the tip of her tongue to tell him that he just might be perfect to her, and when he glances back at the house, she blurts it out. "You're perfect," she whispers, her eyes intent on his face as he turns back to her, "Oh, Sirius, you are – you have no idea how incredible you are! _Look_ at that house. You could've succumbed to it, you could be like the rest of your family, but you aren't! That is something so amazing. I – you are so wonderful, and it hurts me that you don't know that about yourself."

He gives her a half smile, leaning his cheek against the top of her head. "Thanks, Gin," he whispers, smiling to himself, "Come on on, let's get out of here. Find that hot chocolate you're craving."

"I'd like that," she nods, mildly surprised by their easy rapport even as things between them deepened. Whether she'd intended it or not, there was something between them, something entirely unlike anything she's ever had before. It certainly isn't anything that she'd been expecting, but now that she had it, she was going to embrace it. Maybe it wasn't right or fair to either of them, but she didn't want to miss this chance with him, even if her time here was limited.

"I thought school was in session," a nasty voice says from behind them. Sirius stiffens, and Ginny turns reflexively, stunned to see the horrible woman in the portrait alive in front of her. Sirius has not turned around, but he grabs Ginny and pulls her in front of him so that he is between the two women. Ginny glances up at him, unsurprised to see his jaw clenched tight and his face turning unfortunate shades of red and purple. What _does_ surprise her is that he can look at her and smile. It isn't much of a smile, but it was certainly better than nothing.

Ginny smiles back at him, saying quietly, "We can leave, if you want. You do not have to talk to her. But just – just know that I'm here for you. Whatever you want."

He grins genuinely at that, and Ginny realizes that his mother is yelling something at that. Same old drivel her portrait would be yelling and screaming and carrying on about for all eternity, it sounded like.

"Thanks, love," Sirius smiles, dropping a kiss on her forehead. "Let's get out of here. I have nothing to say to her, and I don't really fancy having a listen."

As they start walking off, Mrs. Black starts screaming louder, yelling for them to stop. They don't listen, though, even breaking into a run to get out of there faster. When they back to a busier street, they stop running and double over in laughter. "Her voice carries really well," Gin gasps out between fits of giggles, "And to think, I grew up thinking that my mum is loud! Way to steal my thunder, Black!"

Sirius stops laughing first, and he stares at her as she tries to compose herself. "Thank you," he says seriously, "I know I've said it a lot tonight, but it doesn't even begin to cover half – "

"Shh," she quiets him, "You don't have to thank me for being your friend, for caring about you. I don't _want_ you to thank me for that. I want to do things for you and make you smile." He does smile at that. "You – you are so beautiful," she tells him sincerely, blushing furiously, "Especially when you smile."

"You make me smile," he tells her just as seriously, his hands coming up to cup her face. "And Gin, I – I'm glad you trusted me enough to come with me tonight. And you should know that you can trust me with everything. With nothing, with anything, with _everything._"

She nods, nuzzling her cheek into his hand. "Please don't doubt my trust in you," she sighs, smiling happily," Because I trust you with my life." And she finds that she completely means that. "You've never given me a reason not to trust you," she concludes, flushing guiltily as she thinks of all the reasons she's given him and their friends not to trust her.

"So I have to admit something," he grins as they walk slowly down the street together," I asked Evans for advice."

"Advice on what?"

He laughs, shaking his head in amusement. "On what to do for a perfect first date," he confesses, gesturing around with his arms, "_This_ is not what she came up with, something I'm sure shocks you."

Gin joins in with laughter of her own. "Yes, I can't really see Lily being comfortable with the idea of breaking quite this many rules. One less, and she'd probably be good to go, but not this many," she giggles, the thought of Lily being outside of school grounds in the middle of the night without permission slightly mind boggling, "Can you even imagine?"

"I go into convulsions at the thought of her even knowing about the Invisibility Cloak," he cringes, "I can't even imagine how she'll react to us having snuck out, Gin. We might have to stupefy her to shut her up!"

"I'm sure it won't be quite as bad as all that, Mr. Dramatics," she smirks, cuffing him playfully on the arm. Glancing around, she sighs. "I suppose we could go back now. It is probably getting rather late."

"Nope," he states firmly, but with a huge smile, "It is way too early to go back. Bloody hell, Gin! It isn't even curfew yet! Can you imagine, getting back before curfew? That would be too much like right!"

"And we all know how you feel about right," she laughs, shaking her head, "Well, then, let's go get that hot chocolate. All this talk of it has given me a craving. If you don't come through, they won't find all the pieces of your body."

He widens his eyes in mock fear. "Somehow, I think you actually know spells that could do that. Just the same," he winks, "I know you wouldn't use them on me."

She raises an eyebrow at him appraisingly. "Well, you better play nice, or you'll find out."

He throws his head back, laughing. "Ah, Gin, you're the best thing ever."

"Don't I know it," she grins tartly, "Come on, chocolate. Cho-co-late!"

"Yeah, yeah," he grumbles, letting her pull him along with her, "We'll get you some chocolate, if you really have to have it."

"Oh, I do," she laughs, turning to smile at him, "Because then this? Will officially be the best date ever."

He smiles to himself as she pulls him along. Best date ever? Yeah, that could work for him.


	9. Blood, Sweat, and Fears

A/N: Sorry for the delay. I've been out of town or ridiculously busy the last few weekends, so I haven't had time for proofing or typing up what I've written or any of those good things. So…forgive any mistakes, and when I get the chance, I will re-read it and post a corrected version.

Also, I will be rewriting chapter one. As I've moved into the story, there have been a few things that I need to change in order for some current things to make more sense/not be entirely contradictory to everything else I've written.

And last, but never least, thanks for to those of you who take the time to leave a note. It really is good motivation, and even though I haven't been able to post, it does keep me writing on a daily basis. Thanks!

**Chapter Nine – **_**Blood, Sweat, and Fears**_

It didn't take long at all before Ginny realized that the Gryffindor-Slytherin rivalry was just as heated in this time as it was in hers. It was a long, bloody, and hard fought match, and Ginny was just _sure_ she'd never had that many bludgers hit her way, even when playing chaser. Apparently, the slimy little snakes were under the misconception that Gryffindor's newest player was also the weakest. All it took was one exceptionally well-executed Wronski Feint that the sent her counterpart plowing painfully into the cold ground before they were disabused of that notion.

She caught the snitch almost immediately after its first appearance of the day. It was an embarrassingly easy catch since the Slytherin seeker was basically useless due to injuries, broom damage, and fear. The team mobbed her immediately, circling around her as she flew towards the ground. As soon as she was on her feet, James scooped her up, swinging her around in circles as he laughed and cheered with the rest of the team.

"I can't believe you didn't want to play seeker! You're bloody brilliant, Gin!" he crows, kissing her on the cheek.

Ginny rolls her eyes, extricating herself from his grasp. "You do realize it is incredibly bad form to maul your girlfriend's best friend, right?"

"But I don't officially have a girlfriend yet, not for lack of trying on my part," he winks, lunging at her again, "So I guess that means I can maul you to my heart's content?"

"Ooh, even worse, to flaunt your mauling of another in front of the witch you truly love. You'll have to do better than trying to arouse her petty jealousies," Ginny teases him, reaching out to pat him on the top of his head."

He groans, shaking his head. "Prat. But, speaking of significant others, I do believe that yours is waiting to celebrate with the woman of the hour. His patience is rather astounding, considering I once saw him get his ear bitten nearly off because he couldn't be bothered to take his jewelry off in Care of Magical Creatures before getting in the pen with the nifflers."

Ginny giggles at that, sending both a wave and a cheeky smile Sirius's way. "It is also rude to paw your best friend's girlfriend in front of said best friend. For shame, James Potter, you're a naughty boy."

"Oh, yes, I'm a real cad," he grins unrepentantly, making a show of pulling Ginny to him for another hug now that he knows they have Sirius's attention, "Okay, go see him before I end up with multi-colored boils all over my arse. Not to say I wouldn't still look good, but there would be a slight decrease in my deliciousness that just wouldn't be fair to you ladies."

"Pompous arse," Ginny groans, "Too bad Siri is the least likely person in school to know an ego deflating spell. A shame, really." Before she can say anything else, a body flies into her, knocking her breath out. "Erm, hi, Lils!"

"You were wonderful, Gin!" Lily exclaims excitedly, "Honestly, Ginny, Remus said you did your Wonky Feint. I have to admit, it had me a little nervous, but it was rather amazing, in the end."

James pouts at Lily who reaches up to flick his lower lip. "What about me?"

Lily rolls her eyes dismissively. "You were fine, James, really. But I have watched you play countless times, and I'm very familiar with your moves."

James grins, hooking his arm over her shoulders. "Know my moves, do you? Been watching me often then, Lils? Go on, admit it. You _love_ me."

Shaking her head, Ginny takes her opportunity to escape before they start bickering or making out. She didn't really want to be around for either. Remus and Peter are with Sirius now, congratulating him on the Gryffindor victory. He half-heartedly converses with them, keeping his eye on Gin as she approaches, breaking out into a huge grin. Remus rolls his eyes at his friend's enthusiasm, but is more than ready to offer his congrats to Ginny.

"A very fine match, Ginny," he smiles, Peter then echoing the sentiment, "I'm impressed by your skill."

"Thank you," she returns.

He nods, giving her a small smile before dragging a still talking Peter off with him. Remus looks over his shoulder at Sirius, giving him a significant look. Once they are relatively alone in that people were celebrating all around them, but no one was dumb enough to bother either one of them, he leans down to give her a kiss.

"Well, that was most impressive," Sirius smiles at her, taking her hand and tugging her in the direction of the lake, "You are a very brilliant flyer, Ginevra."

"Why, thank you," she beams, "You were quite good yourself. We have a very good team."

He lets out a loud bark of laughter. "Gin, I let the quaffle go through at least four tiems because I was staring at you! Probably twice alone where you were doing the Feint, which was the best I've ever seen."

She smiles at that. "You are a liar, but that's okay because you are a very handsome liar. My favorite kind, of course." He pulls her to him, grinning when she automatically fits herself to him. "That was a fun game, wasn't it? Always fun to beat the Slytherins, I say."

He murmurs his agreement, but his mind cannot gloss over what she said and how she said it. That almost sounded like she's had the opportunity to beat the Slytherins in the past, but that certainly wasn't possible, was it? He knows that he needs to ask, just bite the curse and ask, but it's hard. He owes it to his friends, who he made a promise to, to at least try to follow through on what he told them he'd do. Just the same, he's pretty sure he's never had anything in his life as magnificent as Ginny, and he was loath to put that at risk.

There is a level of trust between them now, and by questioning her story, her very existence, he'd be showing a lack of trust and faith in her. Just the thought of her hurting her like that was damn near physically painful to him. But with the increasingly frequent 'slips' she was making, he was damn curious about everything. More than anything, the one that he was obsessing over was her name on the map. Out of everything, that one was hard to shake as they'd never caught it make a mistake before, and every time he checks, it still said 'Weasley' rather than 'Watson'.

"You're awfully quietly," Ginny observes and matter-of-factly, "Something's wrong. Are you going to tell me what it is?"

He nods, sighing. "Walk around the lake with me?" he asks, smiling when she drops her broom and quidditch gear and takes his hand in agreement. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to be so lame after that match, Gin. I just – I guess there's a lot on my mind. I – I have to ask you something, and I don't – "

She stops walking, offering him a tentative smile. "You can ask me anything, Sirius. I'm not sure you're so hesitant about it, unless it's something really bad?"

"It's not bad, Gin, but it's hard, and I'm worried you won't like being asked about it," he sighs, cringing when she stares at him expectantly. Sighing, he goes on. "There've been some, I don't know, I guess inconsistencies in things you've said and done. And when you figure in what happened with Snape, I don't know."

"So what?" she asks, dropping his hand and moving away to wrap her arms around her middle, "So now you think there's something wrong with me? That I'm a liar? I don't know what you're getting at here."

He sighs, this going about as well as he'd expected. "Gin, I – " She glares at him, and he stops on a sigh. "I'm not trying to hurt you," he insists, "And I don't think you're a liar. The thing is, there are some little things that could stand to be explained, especially the thing with Snape. You talked to him like you've known him for years, and more than that, like you knew exactly what he'd become. That freaked people out."

"You mean it freaked _you_ out!" she mutters, turning away from him, "You were the only one there. Therefore, you were the only one with the potential to be freaked out by how horrible I am. And where is this coming from? That was nearly a month ago!"

"It's not me," he insists, suddenly feeling overwhelmingly tired, "Snape – he told Evans, and I'm not telling you that to make you mad at her. But she and Moony, well, you know them, Gin! They – they like to have answers for everything, especially things don't make perfect sense to them."

She stares at him, shaking her head. "But you wouldn't ask just because they had issues with it, with me," she reasons, "So that tells me that you agree with them. Well, go on then, tell me all the things I've done wrong or that worry and bother you."

Sirius shakes his head, frustration seeping out of every pore on his body. "No, Gin. It was either me talking to you one on one like this, or letting those two pull all of us into ganging up on you. Stupid me, I though that you might find this method a little more appropriate than the being hung out to dry."

"What am I suppose to say?" she asks plaintively, "Obviously, you don't trust me, so why should I tell you anything? It's not like you'll believe me, right?"

"I will believe you, no matter what you say," he promises loyally, "If you tell me as much as you can, then that will work for me. I promise you that, Gin."

She walks towards the water, kicking a few rocks on her way. "This isn't fair," she mutters, more to herself, "I'm doing this, and – and – I'm sorry. I don't know what to tell you."

He moves over to sit on a fallen log. "My mother has the Dark Mark," he says quietly, ignoring her gasp, "She took it two summers ago, before it was even considered de rigueur among her type. She was so proud of the damn thing, anything to support ridding the world of Muggles and Mudbloods and the like. She gives them money, and when she has her tea with her friends, she tries to recruit them to the cause. I was supposed to be one of those recruits; two summers ago, I was supposed to take the Mark. When I refused, that's when it was decided that I would leave."

Ginny frowns, moved by the story, but unsure why she was hearing it now of all times. "Why are you telling me this now?" she asks quietly.

"Because I trust you, Ginny, even with the nastiest secrets that my family can dredge up," he tells her, "I – I haven't really told many people. Just James, in fact. It's not something people like to hear, or even can handle hearing. I really don't think I could stand the looks I'd get from people if they found out."

"Your friends wouldn't care," Ginny points out reasonably, "And everyone else can take their opinion and bugger off."

He shrugs, smiling to himself when she sits down beside him, her arm brushing his. "My brother will take the mark this summer. One of my cousins already has it, and is said to be working her way through the ranks. Another is marrying a man as infatuated with the Dark Arts and purifying bloodlines as my mother is."

"You're the only outcast then?"

"No, another cousin, Andie, married a Muggle. Can you imagine how well that went over? We were all instantly banned from even speaking of her," he tells her, shaking his head, "My mother's house, it's a scary place. Tons of dark instruments, things my father collected. Some of them he'd use on us as punishment when we were little. Reggie wasn't as stubborn as me, so I collected the majority of the punishments. I wouldn't mindlessly agree with them or follow along with their beliefs blindly. I know it is terrible, but when he died, I was glad. I was nearly delirious with happiness over the death of my father."

She leans into him, rubbing her cheek over his shoulder. "Well, I'm glad, too," she whispers fervently, her memory flitting over some of the dark objects she'd helped to get rid of at Grimmauld Place, "Your own parents, acting that way. I think that must be the most terrible thing ever."

Sirius shrugs, shifting to wrap his arm around her. "I don't know. I guess that I was used to it. You know how, as a child, all you know is what your family is and thinks and believes? And then one day, you're exposed to how other people do things, and it is like being hit with a stunner?"

Ginny murmurs a noncommittal response, not remembering a time when she felt that way. She supposes, though, that her parents made a concerted effort to expose their children to as much as possible, thereby teaching them tolerance. In a way, she could now further understand the close bond between Harry and Sirius. Their childhoods were remarkably similar in many ways, both sad and somewhat tragic. "I wish I could take that away for you," she sighs, gasping when he tightens his grip on her, lifting her onto his lap.

"Much better," he murmurs, burying his face in her neck. She nods her agreement, turning to kiss his cheek. "You can trust me, Gin. With whatever secrets you have, I promise not to tell."

"I do trust you," she whispers, "And I hate that you feel like I don't. But this – it isn't about trust, not on my part. There are things I've promised not to tell, and I made this promise to someone I respect very much. She leans back so she can look him in the eye. "You don't know how badly I wish I could tell you, Sirius. Because you're right, a lot of things about me don't add up, and I know it. And I know that it isn't fair."

"Tell me one truth then," he challenges her, his grasp tightening around her, "It doesn't have to be a big one, but it has to be something real."

She offers him a tentative smile, thinking over his request. "Hmm, anything? Like even the most innocuous of things? I really do have six brothers, all older."

Pouting, he shakes his head. "Okay, then it'll have to be a little more substantive than that. Maybe something that you've, erm, not told the truth about in the past."

Hurt shining in her eyes, she sighs in resignation. "Siri, most of what I've told you has been the truth. I don't want you to think that everything I've ever said has been a lie. That is _so_ far from the truth. That's not to say that there aren't things that don't make sense, but I promise that aside from a few things, everything else is true."

"Okay," he nods, knowing that he has to accept that she's being as honest as possible or else risk pushing her further away. "I – I'm going to tell everyone to let it go, that you and I have talked and I trust you."

"You don't have to do that," she sighs, "I'm not giving you a lot to go on here, and I don't want to cause trouble for you with your friends. I know what they mean to you."

He smiles when she wraps her arms around him, fitting herself against him. "The Marauders are made of tougher stuff than that," he tells her, "Anyway, it is true, right? We talked, and I trust you."

She tips her head up, placing a soft kiss on the tip of his chin. She drops another one on his jaw, her lips ghosting apart enough that he can feel her warm breath on him. Her hands play in his messy hair, her fingers brushing through the thick locks. When wandering hands then drop to his waist, running mindlessly up and down his sides, he loses his passivity becoming an active participant in their play.

His hands find her face, his fingers caressing lightly over her cheeks. She still hasn't kissed his lips, which he's craving now. But the way she's loving the rest of his face and his neck with her lips, he can't bring himself to care all that much. He shifts her on his lap away from the part of him that is so insistently begging for attention from her. She doesn't seem to get the though, for she immediately shifts her body above him so one of her slender thighs is on each side of his legs. Unable to help himself, his hands fall to her hips, jerking her intimately against him.

Ginny raises her head, her eyes wide and slightly dazed. Traces of heat are tingeing her cheeks pink, and her lips part as her breathing roughens. Her long, fiery ponytail is spread over her shoulder and, keeping his eyes on hers, he reaches up to finger the ends of it. Her tiny hands fall out of his hair to rest on his shoulders, sliding down his chest, touching him through the thick fabric of his uniform.

It is just about killing him, having her pressed against him like this, with her gorgeous eyes staring at him owlishly with expectation. He is relatively sure she's waiting for him, and though it takes just about all of his will power, he doesn't thrust against her and he doesn't try to get her to move. With the way she's staring at him, he's sure she's never been in a position like this before, which suits him just fine.

When she finishes with whatever little internal dialogue she was just having and moves – just the tiniest, barest hint of movement – he groans out loud, but his gaze still doesn't leave hers. Ginny's mouth falls open in an 'O' of surprise, but when she moves again, she's capturing her lower lip between her teeth. When she lets out a little whimper, he can't contain himself, and one of his hands slides up to jerk her head down to his. He can feel her thighs tighten around his legs as she moves slowly, grinding herself against him. She moans out his name, waking him up a touch.

"Gin," he sighs, arms wrapping around her waist to hold her to him, "Love, you feel so good against me like this. I can't get enough of you."

"I – we should…" she doesn't finish the though, distracted as his tongue traces down the curve of her neck. She's practically purring at the sensation, making a disappointed sound when he grips her hips, moving her to sit away from him. "What are you doing?"

He drops his head down, his forehead coming to rest on her collarbone. "Merlin, Gin, we have to stop. If we don't, I won't want to, and this – this is not the place for that."

She nods, taking deep breaths as she fights to get her body back under control. She doesn't protest this time when he moves her off of his lap entirely. She has never, ever lost her head like that with a boy before. She's never _wanted_ the way she's wanting right now. "I'm not trying to tease," she sighs.

"I know that," he grins, his hand sneaking over to rest on her thigh, "Bloody hell, I won't be able to walk for awhile." She blushes bright red as she catches his meaning, and to her delight, he throws his head back laughing. She loves giving that to him.

"I'm glad you can laugh at me," she smirks, poking him in the ribs.

"And I'm glad you're here with me," he grins back, "I'm glad we flattened those bloody snakes this afternoon, and I – I'm even glad we talked."

She blinks in surprise at that, having figured her non-responses would've been too frustrating for him. "It's getting chilly," she sighs, giggling when he jumps up offering her his hand and his quidditch robe. She takes the hand, and he pulls her up and then drapes the robe over her shoulders. "Thanks," she murmurs.

They walk back slowly, both lost in their own thoughts. After a bit, she glances up at him. "McGonagall is the one who told me not to tell anyone, and I respect and trust her enough that that works for me. For now, at least."

"McGonagall? Really?" he repeats incredulously, "That's – that is not what I was expecting, I don't think."

"I can tell," she smiles cheekily, tipping her head back to gaze up at him, "That's a truth. It's not the biggest or flashiest, but – well, it requires me trusting you not to mention it to her, so I thought that was something."

"I won't!" he says immediately, "You can trust me. I guess I owe you a truth now, huh?"

She nods. "I do trust you, implicitly. And you've already been more than open with me, so you don't need to tell me any more today. Thank you, though."

He grins, and the mood lightens as they make their way into the castle. Both are smiling widely when they join their fellow Gryffindors mid-victory party.

Not a bad day, all in all.

"Well, Ginevra, I must say that I am very impressed with your progress. Perhaps you shall your first complete transfiguration into your animagus form by February."

"That would be marvelous," Ginny grins, thinking of the surprise that would be to Sirius, "But it stands to reason I'd pick it up so quickly."

McGonagall quirks an eyebrow up at that. "And how do you figure that one, Miss Watson?"

"Well, I have a wonderful teacher," she grins shamelessly, laughing when McGonagall just shakes her head.

"Really, Miss Watson, save that for a teacher whose class you are not currently excelling in," the teacher advises, her gazes softening as she considers that, "Although I have heard no complaints on you. That's a rare thing."

Ginny shrugs. "It just makes sense to do my best."

McGonagall smiles, her gaze astute and observant. "You are fitting in very well. You really are excelling in all aspects of your life here. I cannot tell you how glad I am for your successes. It is quite heartwarming to see." She smiles at Ginny widely, something that Ginny's isn't entirely sure she'll get used to seeing. "It will be nice to have the Quidditch Cup back in my office this year. It has been sorely missed of late."

Ginny smiles, beginning to gather her things up. "Yes, one does tend to get attached to it," she agrees, smiling to herself as the memories of previous (or future, depending) Gryffindor victories. She's too caught up in her own thoughts to notice the calculating look that passes over the older woman's face.

Taking a deep breath, McGonagall stands up. "Miss Watson, as you are in Potions, I am sure that you are aware of the effects of Veritaserum." _This _gets Ginny's attention, and her gaze jerks up to the face of her professor. "Yes, I see you do," McGonagall sighs, wearily removing her glasses and pinching the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger. "Miss Watson, do you remember our discussion awhile back about how things with you-know-who had impacted our lives? Some of the things you said that day gave me pause. In fact, I have since done some research, and Miss Watson, I'm afraid to say that you do not exist."

Ginny pales, her light sprinkling of freckles standing out in outlandish fashion. "I – Professor, it's not what you're thinking."

"Please cease with the rehearsed lies, Ginevra," McGonagall orders her, and Ginny clamps her mouth shut, not willing to go against her now, "Yes, I do believe that Ginevra is your name. In fact, I did some research on that, as well. The last witch with the name 'Ginevra' was the last female born into the Weasley family, quite a few generations ago." Two flaming spots of color appear on Ginny's cheeks. "I see," McGonagall sighs, her fingertips resting on her wand. "Ginevra, I would appreciate you giving me the courtesy of the truth. Professor Slughorn has given me a phial of the Veritaserum, but I'd rather not put my ethics to the test because you refuse to be honest with me."

"Okay!" Ginny rasps out, her heart pounding nervously, "I suppose I owe you, out of everyone, the truth. Where shall we start?"

McGonagall looks at her sternly, her hand never straying from her wand. "At the beginning. What is your name? Where are you really from?"

Gin looks down at her hands, fidgeting nervously in her chair. "My name is Ginny Weasley – Ginevra, really – and I'm – oh, Godric, this is the crazy part – I'm from 1998. I was sent her because I supposedly have the ability to bring joy and happiness to the lives of some who really need it."

Even though this is along the lines of what she'd been expecting, McGonagall still sits back heavily in her chair, shock washing over her. "How? Why? Who on earth sent you?"

"You sent me," Ginny says quietly, her eyes drifting closed, "Voldemort will be defeated one day, but he'll return. A prophecy will be made, and Dumbledore will figure out how to make him mortal once again. Unfortunately, I am not in the know on either of those things, so my being here really doesn't make an important difference. You weren't aware of those things either, so you told me to just do my best and change what I could. You said I was the one that had to go."

"Because I would've known," McGonagall deduces, shaking her head, "My word, this – this cannot be. It makes no sense, and with the instructions so vague, who's to – " Shaking her head, she cuts herself off. "You are a child of Arthur and Molly's then?"

"Seventh of seven, and first female child born in seven generations," Ginny recites dutifully, "I'm not sure what exactly I'm supposed to do, but I have some idea. The, ah, fates of some people here are very well known to me, and I suppose I am to change them. The problem is figuring out how to do that."

McGonagall shakes her head, trying to take it all in. "This is an awful lot of responsibility for someone so young," she frets, "May I ask what I told you?"

Sighing, Ginny leans back in her chair. "You told me that I would bring much comfort and happiness to people who were in desperate need of it. And that perhaps I could do more and save some lives."

"I see," the professor sighs, "Well, you've certainly done a lot for Mr. Black already. He presents a rather light façade, but I'm sure you have discovered how lacking in love his life has been."

"Yeah," Gin agrees softly. "Things are not easy for him, Professor; do you really think – do you really believe me? You'd warned me against telling anyone, saying that people might think I was insane."

McGonagall nods. "Yes, I believe you," she smiles at Ginevra, "Mainly because I'd pieced it partially together. If you'd blurted it out immediately upon your arrival, I would've certainly called in the emergency mediwizards." She leans back in her chair, her fingers finally sliding off her wand. "But you've sufficiently eased me into it. Now, tell me, Miss Weasley, why do you think you were chosen for this?"

Gin laughs, but there is no humor behind it. "I wish I knew. It's certainly not as though I'm some great miracle worker. I can't make people's lives better. Actually, I'm probably doing quite the opposite if you think about it."

"However do you mean?"

"The longer I'm here, the closer the relationships I form with people are. Won't it be awful when I leave? I don't know, Professor; it feels cruel to build these friendships with people when I know that I'm going to have to leave at some point. That's not fair to them, and maybe – maybe it isn't fair to me, either."

"I do not believe that," McGonagall smiles gently, "Ginevra, the good that you have already brought and will doubtless continue to bring will ease the pain of losing you. That might seem like a small comfort, but it is something."

"It isn't enough," Ginny whispers, the heavy weight of sadness bearing down on her, "And Professor…_things_ happen, and they aren't good. I – people die before they should, and oh, Sirius – he suffers worse than death. I look at them every day knowing these horrible things, and I can't change them! I don't know how to change them!"

McGonagall reaches across the table, holding her hand out until Ginny lifts hers to place in the other woman's. "My darling girl, apparently I was remiss and did not tell you that time is fluid. Why _can't_ you change things? Why can't you save them or change what needs to be changed? Ginevra, the power is in your hands now. You just have to decide what to do with it."

Ginny scoffs, somewhat tired of the conversation and the role she is playing. "How? How am I supposed to stop one friend from betraying the rest of them? How do I stop a prophecy from being made, overheard, or told to Voldemort? How do I stop an innocent man from rotting in Azkaban for over a decade? How? If you know, tell me, because I'd love to at least change some of those things. Even one might suffice."

Her professor squeezes the hand of Ginny's that she's holding before dropping, and then she moves to stand up. "Well, it certainly sounds as though this future leaves much to be desired. However, there is nothing to say it is set in stone. You would do well to start thinking that way," she says firmly, fixing her stern gaze on Ginny, "Now, I suggest you come up with a plan. Perhaps the first step in that would be to create a timeline to reference. If you can star there, perhaps it will show you here changes are best made. It could be your guide, of sorts."

"O-okay," Ginny agrees, ready to try anything if it meant that she was actually doing something, "I could do that. I don't know if I remember or know all the details, but I think that I know enough that it will be helpful."

"Excellent," McGonagall murmurs encouragingly, "Now, there is a charm that can be used for that, but I'm afraid I will have to ask Flitwick. Not one of the things one uses on a regular basis, I daresay. Anyhow, this is a place for us to start, and – I say, Ginevra, why do you look so surprised? Did you think that you would tell me the bare bones facts and that I'd let it go? Leave you to do this alone? If I sent you back, then I assume that I have a vested interest in things, too. Not only am I insatiably curious about how things turn out – oh, for Merlin's sake, close your mouth, Ginevra. Gaping is entirely unattractive."

Ginny's mouth snaps shut, and she smiles ruefully. "I guess I've had this idea, this feeling that I have to do everything alone. It – it's nice – it would be very nice – to have help. Especially from you, Professor."

McGonagall's answering smile is a little watery, but that doesn't phase Ginny a bit. There is just something comforting about having help from this formidable witch, and Ginny was going to take every bit she could. Having Professor McGonagall on her side will definitely be a blessing and a boon.

"Professor? Do – are you going to tell anyone?" Ginny asks the one question she is worrying over, "I'm afraid that other people won't understand, and what if we told them, and they research me as you did, and they decide that I'm a Death Eater or worse?"

"I'm not sure what is worse than a Death Eater, but no," McGonagall answers after a moment, "I do not think it would be wise to draw unnecessary attention to you at this time. It goes against much in me not to speak with Professor Dumbledore about this, but I rather think his future self would've given you the same bit of advice that I did, to keep it to yourself." She smiles at her pupil. "You were a Gryffindor, then?" Ginny grins, nodding. "And you really are a chaser rather than a seeker? I cannot imagine."

Ginny can't help but laugh, relieved as her mood lightens. "Oh, yes, I've only ever filled in at seeker before. The Gryffindor seeker in my time started with the team his first year. He is rather extraordinary at it."

McGonagall shakes her head. "A first year seeker? Why that hasn't happened in…well, many, many years! How impressive.'

"He – it's Lily and James's son," Ginny whispers, glancing out the window, "Harry Potter."

"The boy you grew up loving?" McGonagall immediately realizes, her eyes widening in surprise. After a moment, she lets out a small peal of laughter, shaking her head. "How awkward it must be to now be schooling with his parents, then."

"I'm glad my situation is so amusing," Ginny sighs, giving in and laughing after a moment herself. She sobers quickly, a wistful smile gracing her lips. "He looks like James to the point where it could be hard to differentiate. But he has Lily's eyes. People always told him that, but none of us really knew how true it was."

McGonagall frowns, her mind working over Ginny's comment. "Then Lily doesn't…"

Sadly, Ginny closes her eyes, shaking her head. "The prophecy that I mentioned, it is supposedly about Harry and Voldemort. Whatever is in it is dire enough that Voldemort killed Lily and James in an attempt to kill Harry." She sighs a little as she opens her eyes. "He survived the Killing Curse, as a toddler. The speculation, and I'm sure there must be some truth behind it, is that Harry is the only one who can defeat Voldemort."

"You said he was a hero; did he do it? Defeat Voldemort?"

Ginny shrugs, giving half a nod and half a shake of her head. "Yes, and no. When he survived the Killing Curse, it rebounded and struck Voldemort because of some ancient blood magic that Lily performed. But a couple of his followers were able to resurrect him near the end of my third year."

McGonagall shakes her head. "That is absolutely unfathomable. Surviving the Killing Curse? I can only imagine what an uproar that threw parts of the Ministry into, but of course, if everyone is so grateful and relieved that it was finished, perhaps they didn't care as much."

"Obviously, I was just an infant when it happened, but from what I understand, the relief that the terror Voldemort caused ending was so huge that people didn't think to question how it had come about. Well, actually, that's not really true; I think it was something of great concern to Professor Dumbledore. It's – I'm not privy to the secrets behind the prophecy or how the blood magic charms worked; but I do know that it is something that he spent much time researching because he knew that Voldemort would be back."

"And Lily and James both – oh, my," McGonagall whispers, her face paling as the full enormity of this washes over her, "What – I don't know if I really want to know, but I cannot do anything but ask. What else happens? You mentioned a traitor?"

"Pettigrew," Ginny spits angrily, "He was their secret keeper. It was supposed to be Sirius, and when they changed, they didn't tell anyone, not even Dumbledore. He – when the Potters were killed and Voldemort gone, Sirius hunted him down. When he caught up with him in Muggle London, he caused a scene acting like Sirius had been the betrayer. He – he cut of his finger and blew the street up, killing twelve Muggles. Sirius was taken to Azkaban without a trail. He was there for over ten years until he escaped when he realized Pettigrew was near Harry."

"Pett – Pettigrew? Peter _Pettigrew_? Surely you must be mistaken. The boy is hardly capable of carrying out something like that, and far too cowardly. And how did he not die in the explosion?"

Ginny snorts bitterly, shaking her head. "He's an illegal animagus. Actually James and Sirius are, too, but they'd never do the things that Peter will, so please don't – "

McGonagall interrupts her by holding a hand up. "The three of them are illegal animagus? What on earth would possess the three of them to take the time to study that on their own?" she asks, her eyes lighting up as she comes around to the reason, "Of course, Mr. Lupin. They want to be with him when he transforms. To tell the truth, I'd known they were up to something as they disappeared every full moon, but I never suspected something like that. It's almost impressive, if it weren't so hideously illegal. Oh, those boys."

"Sirius escaped from Azkaban when in his dog form," Ginny says quietly, continuing on with the story, "He saw Pettigrew in a picture of my family in the newspaper. Pettigrew was my brother's pet rat, and he was in the picture. Sirius then knew how capable Pettigrew was of getting to Harry, so he escaped."

"And obviously, Arthur didn't realize…oh, my," McGonagall muses, shaking her head, "Now, Ginevra, if you were in the picture with Pettigrew, do you really think it was Harry that Sirius was escaping to protect?"

Ginny shakes her head. "He wouldn't have known. He thinks I'm Ginevra Watson, not Weasley. There was no connection there for him to make."

McGonagall has her doubts on that, but keeps her mouth shut on the subject. "Well, this is a most incredible story," she notes, tiredly removing her glasses and massaging the bridge of her nose with her fingertips, "And I suspect there is much more to hear." Ginny nods. "Perhaps we can change some of these things that are to happen."

"I hope so," Ginny responds, shaking her head doubtfully, "I'm just so afraid of changing the wrong thing and setting something even worse into motion."

Professor McGonagall nods, looking thoughtful. "Ginevra, what would you say is your personal involvement in the war? This is to ask, did you fight, what role did your family play?"

Ginny sighs, her lips twisting into a mockery of a smile. "Well, aside from Harry and Dumbledore, it is probably safe to say that I know Voldemort better than anyone else on this side of the war." McGonagall eyes her with a simultaneously confused and horrified look on her face, "Have you heard of the Chamber of Secrets, Professor?"

"Certainly," McGonagall answers quickly, looking a little thrown by the question, "It is a legend around the school. Not a terribly popular one these days, though. The Shrieking Shack is a far more notorious haunt in terms of word of mouth popularity."

"It isn't a legend, nor is it a myth," Ginny states seriously, "I – I opened. It was my first year at Hogwarts, and I was slipped a diary that contained a memory of a young Tom Marvolo Riddle, better known as Voldemort. I opened the Chamber and unleashed Slytherin's monster on M-Muggleborns."

McGonagall gapes at her, torn now between sympathy and her curiosity. "How was that managed, if he not yet risen, Ginevra?"

Ginny shrugs, never having been given an answer that made much sense to her. "Lucius Malfoy had been given the diary by Voldemort, it was hypothesized. He slipped it to me right before start of term. The diary was somehow enchanted to write back when it was written in. I – I knew better, of course, than to interact with something enchanted like that – if I couldn't tell where it kept it's brain, as my father would say – but I wrote anyway. I was so stupid."

"It wrote back," McGonagall murmurs, shaking her head wonderingly as her mind works over something furiously. After a moment, she pulls herself out offering Ginny a comforting smile. "My darling girl, your guilt is undoubtedly unfounded. I am not familiar with V-Voldemort as you are or Dumbledore is, but I do have some idea of what his powers and abilities are. They are nearly unrivaled, as a matter of fact. I rather doubt he fears anyone or anything."

Ginny gives her a small smile. "He fears Dumbledore. But even that doesn't protect anything forever. A Death Eater murders him at the end of my fifth year, right here in the school. S-Severus Snape. Harry had to watch, immobilized by Dumbledore and hidden under an invisibility cloak. It changed everything." Ginny pauses, nodding to herself. "Yes, that changed everything."

McGonagall's expression reveals her horror. "Severus Snape? The seventh year Slytherin?" Ginny nods. "How – he murders Albus? I cannot imagine the chaos that his death throws everything into."

Nodding in agreement, Ginny adds, "It was a very terrible situation. Nothing was ever the same after he died, and an already nightmarish situation got far, far worse. Everyone I ever loved was fighting, and I was locked in at Order headquarters, only able to help when someone came in cold, wounded, or hungry. And when you approached me about this, that's why I said yes, despite my doubts of my effectiveness."

"Now, this is the first thing that will cease," McGonagall says sternly, her fingers steepling together as she peers at Ginny, "This idea that you are not equipped to do this. I have great faith in myself, and therefore, I have great faith in you. Ginevra, I already know of your talents, as you display them on a near daily basis. We will find a way to use them to improve the future. Of that, I have no doubt. You are already improving lives and making people who I've never seen truly happy just that. That is no small thing." She smiles faintly at Ginny. "My dear, I have a thought about that diary – well, let me do some research. If it is what I think it is, then perhaps we can do more than you ever imagined."

"Okay," Ginny nods hesitantly, not really able to believe that, but similarly unable to tamp down on the hope that flares to life with McGonagall's words. "Professor, dinner is nearly half over, and I'm quite hungry. Perhaps we can discuss this further soon?"

Glancing at the clock, McGonagall blinks in surprise. "Oh, of course, Miss _Watson_," she says with emphasis, moving to stand. She raises a thin eyebrow at Ginny. "Arthur and Molly really have seven children, six of whom are male?" Ginny nods, grinning knowingly. "Oh, my."

And with that, Ginny leaves her training session with a huge smile on her face. At least she now has someone on her side.


	10. Soul Sucking Soulmates

**A/N: **Biggest chapter yet. Both literally and figuratively? Anyway. Sorry for the lack of beta work on here...I've been handwriting story while at work, typing it up at home, and I just haven't been able to push myself into going back and editing something I've already seen twice, you know? One day, though, I'll clean the whole thing up and post a nicer, tidier version. Because I know it sucks when there are grammar mishaps, missing words, and other such ailments.

Um...aside from that - review? Pretty please? Thanks!

**Chapter Ten – **_**Soul Sucking/Soulmates**_

The mid-December air is crisp and cool as Ginny and Lily walk towards Hogsmeade together. They were doing their shopping for the upcoming holidays together. Both were at something of a loss as to what to get the boys, and figured that two heads would be superior to one. Plus, they'd both spent so much time with their respective boyfriends and studying for NEWTs that they really hadn't had much time to spend together lately.

"Tell me the truth," Ginny grins playfully at her friend, "How upset was James with you for deciding to shop with me rather than simper at him in Madame Puddifoots?"

Lily rolls her eyes, "He made a few choices complaints about how it would be our first trip as an official couple, but mostly he's okay with it because they can do their own shopping this way." Ginny doesn't tell her that they already sneaked out of the castle and apparated to London to do just that. She just wasn't tolerant enough of the boys' rule breaking for that yet. "Anyway, they'll have fun raising their hell today, and we're meeting them for lunch."

Ginny nods her agreement. "Sirius wasn't even chuffed about it in the slightest, which to tell the truth, sort of chuffs me a little bit. That stupid berk could at least pretend he'd miss me for the afternoon!"

"Oh, of course he will," Lily laughs, "That boy worships you. But I think he's just figured out that it isn't a good idea to push you on things like this."

"Youngest of seven and only girl thing," Ginny blushes with a grin, knowing exactly what her friend was referring to, "I spent most of my life rebelling against their oppressive protectiveness. I hate being told what to do, even now."

Lily nods, giving her friend a sympathetic smile. "Well, look at it this way, it helped make you strong and independent. Those are really wonderful things to be."

Ginny smiles at Lily's ability to see the bright spot in anything. "You're right," she agrees, "And anyway, no worrying about the boys today, except when it comes to wondering what to get them."

They walk slowly towards the village, chatting about everything under the sun before cycling back to the boys again, despite Ginny's proclamation. Although Ginny has always gotten along with other girls, there has always been a disconnect in her dealings with them. Even Hermione had been difficult at first, although that was more attributable to the older girl's study habits and her relationships with Harry and Ron and Ginny's subsequent jealousies. It was different with Lily, though. There was, after their rough beginning, a very comforting ease between them, and they were very capable of talking about anything.

"Have you decided what to get James yet?" Ginny asks.

"I don't know," Lily groans, "I'm starting to worry over it because I have absolutely no idea. Really, though, the idea of even contemplating, let alone obsessing over, what gift to buy James Potter is nearly incomprehensible to me."

Ginny laughs, shaking her head. "I could tell on the train that you and James are meant to be together. It was so very obvious, Lils."

Lily smiles, obviously delighted to hear that. "Thanks, I think. It's nice to hear, but at the same time, a little scary."

Ginny's brow furrows at that. "Scary how?"

"So many people have told me that lately that it almost makes it feel like I don't have a choice. I don't know, sometimes it seems like I have this immutable destiny, and that it is James Potter. Scary, really."

"I don't think that would be so bad," Ginny sighs, trying to focus on the happier side of this, and not the idea that Lily and James's (and really, everyone's) destinies were written in stone. "There must be a nice part, knowing that you've found your perfect someone, and that he loves you back."

"Ginny! Oh, look, you know that I am _not_ Sirius's biggest fan, but that boy loves you. He is absolutely crazy for you. Now, I don't know if he's admitted it yet, to himself or anyone else, but Gin, he does. He definitely does. There is no doubt in my mind of that."

Giving her friend an indulgent smile, Ginny shrugs. "I don't know. He – I know he likes me and I know he cares, but it's still a huge leap from there to love. He's so great, Lils." She looks over at her friend. "I had another boyfriend before," she relates, "I'd loved him for most of my life, and when I finally got him it was like puppies and unicorns and rainbows."

"Are you still with him now?" Lily asks, sounding scandalized, "Really, Gin, did you not just hear me? Sirius is in love with you. You cannot jerk him around like that!"

Ginny glares at her before rolling her eyes. "Of course I'm not with anyone else. Just what do you take me for? No, of course not. I was just trying to – look, I wanted to – oh, bloody hell!"

Lily reaches out, looping their arms together. "I'm sorry, Ginny. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

She shrugs, but nods her forgiveness. "I know that. This other boy, he – he was my childhood, you know what I mean? And when he broke up with me, I was devastated. But he had things to do that I couldn't be around for, and I understood that. I was going to wait for him, even though he didn't ask and I hadn't said I would. I – he hopes I'm waiting, I know that. And Lils, I would've, I swear it, but Siri is – he's fire and warmth wrapped ice, and I – I can't get enough of him."

"You love him, too!" Lily gasps, her free hand flying to her mouth, "I wasn't positive, you know? I kind of thought you did, but I wasn't positive. Oh, Gin!"

"I – I – I –" Ginny stutters, blushing madly, "I guess I do." She groans, burying her face in her hands. "Oh, Godric, I wasn't supposed to fall in love with anyone else! With anyone!"

"You can't help who you love," Lily smiles wryly, "And if one could, well, I'd have probably been first in line requesting a change. But Gin, it's not a bad thing. Sirius is – honestly, I'll never admit this to him, even under torture – well, he's grown on me. He's very charming, in a roguish sort of way. And he adores you. I'm not sure what more you could want."

Ginny laughs at that. "Don't be too effusive with the compliments," she teases her friend before sighing, "Maybe I shouldn't feel guilty, but I do. And the worst part is, he's a part of my family. My – well, it's hard."

Lily looks at Ginny curiously, but doesn't voice her question. "He had his chance, and he missed it. You don't owe this boy anything." Ginny perversely wonders if Lily would feel the same way if she knew the boy was her son, whose life was really a long series of devastating loss and tragedy, and could honestly use some love in his life. "He was a fool, not staking his claim when he had the chance."

"I guess I'll just have to hope he feels the same way about it," Ginny half smiles, "It's not like I'll be able to avoid him. He is a part of my life."

"But why does he have to be?" Lily asks, "And why do you feel like he deserves it? I – oh, this is a hard thing to say, but your family is gone; is there really anything left tying him to you?"

Ginny's eyes squeeze shut as she remembers the lie she is living. "Yeah, well, it's not that easy. And like I said, he really is family. I still care about him, very much. That doesn't just go away. But all the same, I don't want Sirius to be uncomfortable or get the wrong impression about anything."

Her friend laughs at that. "Sirius's ego is so big that it absolutely circumvents the normal relationship insecurities. Once he knows how you feel, that you love him, he's not going to doubt it, I promise. Same with James. I daresay we've picked the boys with the biggest egos in all of Scotland."

Laughing, Ginny nods her agreement. "Oi, so what are you giving your ego-driven boy for Christmas? You never answered earlier."

To Ginny's surprise, Lily blushes a bright red. "I – erm," she begins faltering. After a moment, she squares her shoulders and looks Ginny in the eye. "I was thinking of giving him, well, me."

"I don't – you? Oh, you mean….oh," Ginny gasps out, staring at Lily in complete surprise. Of all the things her friend might've said, this was the least expected. "You plan on giving him yourself? Lil, are you – you haven't been together that long? Are you sure?"

"Well, as everyone has pointed out, it has been a long time coming. I think that I am ready, Gin; I really do," she smiles before turning her eyes on Gin, "And anyway, as if you and Sirius aren't. If you two go more than five minutes without touching each other in some intimate way, the running joke in Gryffindor Tower is that you've obviously broken up."

Ginny laughs at that, wondering if Sirius has heard about it yet. Bloody hell, he probably started it. "Well, we haven't, and I never have. But with Sirius, it would be so easy to let myself go with him. If he didn't know that I'm not quite ready and stopped us on a couple of occasions, maybe we would've by now."

"Am I crazy for considering it?" Lily asks, blushing again, "I just – he loves me, and that's special."

"And you love him, too," Ginny smiles, "If you're ready, then okay. We'll go to Gladrags today and buy you the most marvelous lingerie ever."

Lily beams at her, squeezing Ginny's arm. "Thank you. I knew that you wouldn't judge me. The Muggle world is far less conservative about these things, so I was a touch worried, you know? Oh, it happens in the Wizarding world, of course – can't tell you how many broom closets I've busted up illicit activity in – but people like to pretend that it doesn't."

Ginny smiles, shrugging. "I'm happy for _you_, Lily. Anyway, it really is no one's business but you and James. Do what is right for the two of you."

"Yeah," Lily nods, her face set in resolution, "It is. For me, it is right. And I guess I'll find out about James when I ask him to unwrap me, yes?"

Ginny cracks up at that, delighting in another sign that her friend is coming out of her shell. "First of all, he's male, so he's ready. And secondly, he loves you and has been waiting a long time for you to return his feelings, so again, he's ready. You've got him in the bag, Lils!"

"What about you?" Lily asks, both girls waving at various classmates as they get closer to the village, "What are you going to get Sirius?"

"You just have to ask the hard questions, don't you?" Ginny shrugs, "Honestly, I'm not sure. I've been trying to think of something completely fabulous for him, but I've not come up with anything even close. I just – he's been so good to me, _for_ me, that I want to wow him with a wonderful, perfect, amazing gift. And I'm coming up empty-handed so far."

Lily smiles at her kindly. "We'll find something," she tells her as the smile slides off her face.

Ginny follows Lily's gaze, her eyes narrowing when they land on the entirely black-clad Severus Snape. "Oh, the bat comes out during the day, I see. I rather figured he'd melt in water or direct sunlight. How lovely for him."

"I should go talk to him," Lily says softly, ignoring her comments. Ginny grunts noncommittally. "I know you don't like Severus, but he is my friend. I need to talk to him."

"Okay," Ginny nods, knowing that she has no right to demand otherwise, "I'll be at Gladrags. Come by and find me when you're done, okay?"

"Of course," Lily grins gratefully. She walks towards Snape, turning once to wave over her shoulder at Ginny, who waves back before tightly pulling her robes around herself to ward off the sudden biting chill in the air. Her good mood rapidly vanishing, she barely notices the eerie quiet spreading throughout the student-filled village.

All of a sudden one voice, then two, and then too many to identify separately, ring out in screams. Gin stops on the spot, her wand being drawn as she turns in the direction of the pandemonium. A sickening sense of dread fills her as she runs toward the screams, pushing in the opposite direction of everyone else. Her heart drops when she rounds a corner and sees what everyone is running from: Dementors, and lots of them.

She draws to a stop, her mind whipping over memories that she has used in the past to conjure her Patronus, immediately discarding all of them. The last few times she's had to conjure her Patronus, she'd used memories of her brief time with Harry. They'd worked well for her, and with them she had conjured her strongest yet. But her heart wasn't there anymore, and so she focused on memories of her first date with Sirius.

To her amazement, as she yells out the incantation, it is not her majestic and trusty lion that emerges from her wand, but a large dog that snarls and snaps as he drives through the Dementors, pushing them back. There is no time to think about the implications of that, though. There is more screaming behind her, and without letting herself think too much on it, she sends her Patronus sprinting up to the castle in case they hadn't been notified yet.

She casts the spell over and over again, apparently the only student aware or capable of doing is. Everyone else is in a panic (not that she blames them), has fainted, or is firing run of the mill defense spells that barely even slow the Dementors down. The latter is what Lily and Snape are doing when she comes back across them, their backs pressed against the wall of a building. There is nowhere left for them to go.

Unsurprising to Ginny, as someone who is plenty affected by them, Snape is suffering worse than Lily is under the chilling presence of the Dementors. Stunned from her thoughts, she springs into action when the Dementors begin to administer the kiss. "Expecto Patronum!" she screams, her voice hoarse and weak from all the yelling. Enough intent is there, though, and she didn't really need to speak at all. She keeps on casting until the last of the Dementors flee, but before she can even catch her breath, the popping noise attributed to apparition fills the air.

"Bloody, buggering hell!" she mutters to herself, firing the strength to go on firing off curses until her voice is gone completely. She never even notices when she crosses over to casting her magic entirely nonverbally. More students join in this battle as the fight is now against people, something they can understand. There aren't many Death Eaters, though, and when professors appear, they all disapparate to locations unknown.

"Lily," Ginny croaks out, so quietly that no one can hear. Tears are streaming down her face, remnants of her close proximity to the Dementors. Lily and Snape are where she last saw them, slouched against the wall. Before Ginny can get to them, James, Remus, and Peter appear. She can see Snape's face twist into an angry snarl as James kneels before Lily, pulling her into his arms. Despite Snape's protests (or perhaps because of them), Remus and Peter tend to him.

An icy fear grips her when she does not see Sirius right away. With the fear trapping her breath in her throat, she stumbles over to her friends. Remus catches her before she can fall, lowering her slowly to the ground beside Lily. "Gin, are you okay? We saw you fighting." She stares up at him, her eyes pleading with him for information. "He's looking for you right now, Gin. He's fine, I promise." He glances over at Pettigrew. "Wormtail, could you go find Pads, please? Thanks."

She slumps against the wall in relief, taking a shaky breath. Glancing at the packages strewn around them, she reaches for one of James's bags, pulling out a large package of Chocolate Frogs. She passes pieces to each of them, including Snape, who all eat it without protest. It's a relief to see the glassiness retreat from each of their eye's as the chocolate serves to revive them. James reaches out for Ginny, pulling her into a tight a hug. "Glad you're okay, Ginevra."

"You, too," she smiles into his shoulder, using his robes to dry her tears, "I need to find him. Need to see he's okay for myself."

"Gin, he's fine," James promises her, his eyes concerned as he glances between her and Lily. Both look worse for the wear now that the battle is over. He'd watched helplessly as the Dementor attacked Lily and Snivellus, and he'd had no idea how to help them. But then Ginny came flying through the crowd, brandishing her wand like an old pro, producing some kind of silvery dog from her wand that drove the Dementor off. Patronus, he thought it might be called. "Stay sitting, Peter's finding him."

"More chocolate," she whispers, "Everyone eat more chocolate. It counters the effects of the Dementors."

"They're awful," Snape whispers, his eyes blindly staring straight ahead. Lily pats his hand before taking it in hers and squeezing it. To Ginny's surprise, James doesn't make a peep of protest. "I – I heard – it was awful."

Lily nods, drawing her hand back to wipe away her tears. "I didn't know what to do. I have never been so scared in all my life, and there was nothing I could do to protect myself. How did you know what to do, Gin? And how can we ever thank you for – "

Ginny shakes her head, wrapping her arms around her middle. "No, don't. Do not thank me for that. You are my friend, and there was no way I wouldn't help you, Lils."

Just then Sirius comes sprinting over, Peter lagging behind him. He trips to his knees next to Ginny, his arms wrapping around her waist as she throws herself at him. "Oh, love, thank Merlin you're okay. I saw you fighting off those things earlier, but then I lost sight of you when the Death Eaters showed up. What a bloody nightmare." He pulls back, peppering every inch of her face with kisses. "I have been so worried about you, Ginevra Watson."

"Merlin, spare me from this ridiculous sap-fest," Snape mutters under his breath, glaring hard at Sirius and Ginny.

"Shut it!" James yells, his wand out and pointed at Snape before the other boy can so much as twitch, "Gin saved your life, you miserable coward. She owed you nothing, not a damn thing, and she still did it anyway! So if I – or any of us – catch you saying anything about her again, you'll find out what sorry is, Snivellus!"

Snape scoffs at that, glaring right back at James. "Do not delude yourself in thinking that your insane little friend there helped me out of some ridiculous goodness of heart. She only did it because I am sitting near Lily."

"You still benefited from it," Sirius growls, "So if you aren't going to grovel at Ginny's feet, then I would suggest you get the hell out of here!"

"That's it," Snape coos condescendingly, reminding Ginny _so_ much of the teacher who tormented her after the Chamber, "Bury your head in the sand, Black. Don't see what is right in front of you. Lily and even your scruffy mutt friend there realize that something is off about your precious girlfriend, but I guess you don't care since she's spreading her legs for you."

That is all he gets out before all four of the other boys, Peter included to Ginny's surprise, make moves towards Snape. Before Ginny can even open her mouth to calm them down, Lily jumps in, shocking them all. "Get out of here, Snape!" she bites out, shaking her head tiredly, "Get out of here and do not seek me out again. Pet was right about you; you are a bad sort. I'm just sorry it has taken me this long to realize what every, including my Muggle sister, have always known."

Severus's mouth hangs open in shock and the rest of them watch with wide eyes. As Snape struggles to his feet in an attempt to leave with some dignity, it becomes clear he is too weak to walk. Sirius, with a quick kiss to Ginny's forehead, jumps to his feet and unceremoniously levitates a protesting Snape over to the Three Broomsticks, where the teachers seem to be gathering the injured.

"Everyone alright?" Ginny asks, leaning heavily against Sirius when he sits back down beside her. He gathers her against him, pulling her onto his lap.

"Yes, I – I think we're all okay," James answers, his worried eyes keeping a close watch on Lily. "Thanks to you, Gin. Where did you learn those things? You fought better than all the Death Eaters, even!"

Remus nods in agreement. "You know the Patronus Charm. That is very, very advanced magic, Ginny. Is it a part of the curriculum at Beauxbatons?"

Ginny, still half out of her mind with exhaustion, gives him a sleepy smile. "You know, you taught me the Patronus Charm, in a roundabout way. You, Professor, you taught Harry who then taught everyone else. So it's really your teaching that saved us today. You're a wonderful teacher, thank Merlin."

They all glance between Ginny's prone form and each other, no one sure what to say. Finally, James clears his throat. "Well, she's obviously delirious from the effects of the Dementors. I've heard that can happen. Doesn't even know what she's saying, the poor girl."

"Of course," Sirius immediately chimes in his agreement, "She is just a little confused, that's all. We should probably get her checked out for spell damage. You too, Evans. Those Dementors are nasty business."

"Oh, there you all are!" an exasperated and thoroughly harried Minerva McGonagall exclaims, "Ginevra! What happened, is Miss Watson all right?"

Remus is the one to answer the professor, who is now kneeling and examining both girls. "Professor, it was Ginny," he tells her very seriously, "She drove off all the Dementors on her own. Sh – she did most of the damage against the Death Eaters that were here, too."

McGonagall sits back on her haunches, a dazed expression on her face. "She did not tell me about these abilities," McGonagall mutters to herself, drawing shared looks between the conscious friends in front of her. "She's fine, just tired. Same with you, Miss Evans. And for heaven's sake, all of you keep eating that chocolate." She looks over at the boys. "How many Dementors were there? When did the Death Eaters get here? What exactly happened?"

"Don't really know a whole lot," Sirius offers with a shrug, "We were at that jewelry store on the edge of the village. About five seconds after the temperature plunged enormously, the screaming started. We ran out and saw the Dementors."

"Three students, at least, and one shopkeeper were kissed," McGonagall sighs wearily, "I cannot fathom how the Death Eaters go them to join this cause. I guess we are lucky, though, that more were not kissed."

"Kissed?" Lily asks in confusion.

Remus nods when McGonagall doesn't answer right away. "The Dementors, when they administer the so-called kiss, suck out a person's soul. The body lives on essentially with nothing, that is to say no one, inside. It sounds like such a horrible thing, just a living body with no one inside of it."

Rising, McGonagall gives them all a watery smile. "I'm very glad that all of you are fine. Mr. Black, I'm sure you will see Miss Watson back to the castle. I should think warming up and getting a cup or five of hot chocolate will do her a world of good."

"Of course," Sirius agrees, his eyes never leaving Ginny, "Should she see Madame Pomfrey first? What if she's hurt? Professor, she saved a lot of people today! She should get first crack at the healer. I – I want a healer here now!"

"Sirius," McGonagall says softly, recognizing his near hysteria for the concern, fear, and love that it is, "I promise you that Ginevra is fine; I ran the diagnostic spell myself. She is just tired. In fact, if you slip her some more chocolate now, she will perk right up." Sirius looks skeptical, but relaxes when they try it and it proves to be true. "See, she'll be just fine. Ginevra, tomorrow morning before breakfast, do report to my office. I daresay you and I have much to discuss. And we'll need to expect that the Headmaster will want to see you, as well."

Ginny nods. "Okay. See you 'morrow, then?"

McGonagall glances at each of them, offering as comforting of a smile as she is currently capable of giving. "I must go check on others now. Please get back to the castle immediately. We are fairly sure the threat has passed, but better to be safe than sorry. Mr. Potter, your Head Boy services will be required. We have set up the Three Broomsticks as a base of sorts, as they are on the Floo to Hogwarts." She glances at Lily. "Now, Miss Evans…"

"I can help," Lily smiles shakily, moving to stand, "I'm fine. I should bet there, too, and since I can, I will help."

"Okay, hurry over there, please. Mr. Black, if Miss Watson cannot make the walk, the Floo is open to you both as well. Now, all of you, get going where you need to be," McGonagall orders briskly, pausing only to say again that's she glad they're all fine.

They all smile at each other, and Remus and Lily share a look. Lily reaches out, grabbing Ginny's hand. "You said Remus taught you the Patronus Charm earlier. Gin, that – that doesn't make much sense."

Ginny blushes furiously, tensing in Sirius's arms. Before he can interject on her behalf, she responds, "I – Remus has always reminded me of a professor I had before. Hence his nickname."

"But that is not what you said," Remus points out, "You said that I taught the charm to someone named 'Harry', and then he taught you."

"Bugger off, Moony," Sirius cuts in, "Leave off the inquisition. She can barely keep her eyes open, and in case you don't remember, she pretty much saved all of us today. Give her a break!" He helps Ginny to her feet, keeping his hands on her waist when she sways unsteadily.

James steps in as he reaches down to help Lily to her feet. "Look, you lot need to get back to the castle, especially Ginny, and Lils and I need to get going as well. We'll have lots of time to talk later, when everyone is recovered."

Remus looks torn, but nods eventually. "I'll stay and help. I know she didn't say, but I'm a prefect. I could help."

With that, everyone scatters. Pettigrew joins up with his Hufflepuff girlfriend and some of her friends, James, Lily, and Remus head in the direction of the Three Broomsticks, and Sirius and Ginny are left alone. They don't speak much on the way back to the castle, and Ginny steadfastly ignores the curious stares she is receiving from other students.

Once in the castle, he makes to turn towards Gryffindor Tower, but she pulls him in a different direction. Shocking himself with the amount of trust he has in her, Sirius willingly follows along with her.The stop in a seventh floor hallway, and he watches in confusion as she paces back and forth until a door appears. "That was _not_ there a second ago," Sirius exclaims, earning a faint smile from Ginny.

"No, it was not," she agrees, again taking his hand as she moves to open the door, "Come in with me."

As they cross the threshold she stops short, and he bumps into her back. Blushing hotly, she looks around with a wry grin. "This is not what I was expecting, but I suppose it will do rather nicely."

"What is this room?" Sirius asks, looking around in awe. There is a huge bed that dominates about half of the room, which is lavishly appointed in rich shades of gold and green. There is a sitting area across from the bed with leather furniture in a dark, chocolate brown. Steaming mugs of hot chocolate sit on various tables throughout the room alongside tall piles of chocolate pieces.

"This is the Room of Requirement. The elves call it the Come and Go room," Ginny explains with a small smile on her face, "It appears when someone needs it. At least, that is my understanding. It is what you need or want when you need or want it. It is as big or small as needed, and it contains whatever is needed or wanted."

He continues looking around, his gaze lingering on the large bed longer than anywhere else. "How did you find it?"

Ginny blushes a little as she follows his gaze. "When I disappeared that weekend, I found this room. Of course, it just gave me a tiny little bed and not much else. Took awhile to figure out that I could ask it for food."

"What did you ask from it just now?" he asks, moving closer to her. He reaches out, grabbing a piece of chocolate to feed her, which she takes with a grateful smile.

"All I asked for this time was chocolate and a place to rest with my boyfriend. I guess my subconscious was a little more specific."

"I like how your subconscious works," Sirius grins, attempting to surreptitiously steer her towards the bed before she can sit and get comfortable on one of the couches. "This room is bloody brilliant. I cannot believe that we haven't heard of it by now! Although, it is fairly close to Dumbledore's office. We try to steer clear of him."

Ginny doesn't need encouragement from Sirius, throwing the covers of the bed back before turning to look at him. "Turn around," she says softly, feeling a little awkward. Smiling to himself, he does as she asked and even resists the urge to peek when he hears her removing and transfiguring clothing. After she slides into the bed, she tells him he can turn around.

To his surprise (really, he almost swallows his tongue), she has transfigured her sweater into a lacy little negligee that hides nothing and covers little. He actually (miraculously) can see her panties which match the negligee.

She slides her legs over the edge of the bed, sitting in front of him. "You should – um, what do you normally sleep in?" she asks nervously, her hands reaching up to tug his shirt out of the waistband of his pants. "I want you to hold me, Sirius. I – I need it."

"Of course, love, anything you want," he agrees, reaching for her, but she shakes her head as she flushes a faint pink. "What's wrong?"

"I need to feel you, too," she whispers. He can tell she's feeling a little shy about all this, but her gaze remains locked on him. "I need you against me so I can be warm again."

"Anything you need," he promises her, raising his arms above his head as she tugs his shirt off. She stares at him with wide eyes, and he's ridiculously pleased that he and James followed a quidditch training manual over the summer. He reaches out for her, dragging his fingers up and down her bare arms, leaving a trail of goose bumps in their wake. She stands, her arms stealing up to wrap around his neck. He slides his hands down her back, intrigued by how much of it is bare.

She smiles when he reaches up and removes the pins holding back her hair, letting it tumble down her back. They stand there holding each other until he notices her swaying on her feet. Giving her his cockiest smirk, he stoops low to lift her up and, with a mischievous grin, drops her in the middle of the bed.

Not at all thrown off by that, she reaches out, grabbing him by the belt to pull him with her. "I want you with me here, Siri. _Please_."

"Of course," he nods, all teasing gone as he crawls onto the bed with her. She sits up, watching as he arranges himself in the middle of the bed. Once he's situated, she fits herself against him, one arm thrown over his chest and her legs tangling with his. "You okay, Gin?"

"I don't know," she admits, taking in a shuddering gulp of air. Concerned and unable to see her face, he rolls them so that he is half over her. She glances up at him, giving him a wan smile. "For a moment, after I found Lily and Snape fighting the Dementors with their backs against the wall, I froze. I don't know what snapped me out of it, but I almost let her die, or as good as."

"Great Godric, Gin! You saved her," Sirius exclaims, moving further on top of her in a bid to get as close as possible and grab her attention, "Don't you dare doubt yourself on this. What you did was nothing short of amazing, and everyone can vouch for that."

She stares at him, grateful for the distraction as his knee nudges her legs apart. A little surprised, she gasps when he eases between them, her hips cradling him. He rests his head against her breast, pressing soft kisses the skin bared above the top of her nightie. She sighs, running her fingers over his bare sides. "Mmm, Siri? I think I should've grabbed another piece of chocolate."

He grins at her knowingly, reaching over to the table nearest the bed, grabbing a large piece of chocolate from it. Rolling slightly off of her, he props himself up on his elbow as he unwraps the chocolate, tossing the foil over his shoulder. She grabs for the sweet, but he moves it out of her reach, winking at her.

"You're a tease, Black," she sighs, smirking up at him. He lifts the chocolate to his mouth, taking a bite. In retaliation, she rolls her hips upwards, rubbing against him in a rather suggestion and intimate fashion. "I guess two can play at that game."

"Not the same game!" he mutters, grinning as he offers her the chocolate. His eyes widen when she grabs his hand, licking and sucking off every speck of chocolate on his fingers. "Love, no more teasing. You need to eat some chocolate. Maybe I should go sit in one of the chairs."

"No," she protests quickly, "Please stay with me. I – just hold me."

He presses a kiss to her forehead. "Gin? It is _very_ hard for me to _just_ hold you right now. I'm not about to do anything that you aren't okay with, but you should know that I want you badly." For emphasis, he thrusts his hips against her. To his consternation, she moans and her thighs tighten around his hips. He buries his face in her neck, nipping lightly at the soft skin behind her ear.

Ginny strengthens her hold on him as she turns her head, seeking his lips. "Siri, please. I want you, too." He raises his head at that, looking her in the eye. "You make me feel warm and safe and cared for, and I need that right now."

If she'd worded it just slightly differently, he probably wouldn't have had any problem with giving in to what they both want. But instead, the words spoken just served to remind him that she wasn't entirely in her right mind now. "Let's just back up a bit," he sighs, easing off her. He stays next to her on his side, leaning over her. "I want you, Gin, but not when you're half traumatized, okay?"

"Yeah," she agrees quietly, looking away from him, "What an idiot I am, thinking my boyfriend might actually want me."

"Oh, Gin, you know how much I want you!" he argues, sighing tiredly, "I've wanted you since the second I laid eyes on you in the Leaky Cauldron months ago! I'm just finding it hard to believe that you want us to be together like that after a day like this one!"

The fight goes out of her, and she rolls onto her side, facing him. "You're right, and I'm sorry. It's just, you are…you're my rock, and I wanted to – to take all of you inside of me because I knew you'd warm me up and make me happy again."

He smiles at her, reaching up to brush an errant lock of hair off her face. "I would, in a second, if I thought that's what you really wanted. If you were ready – no, _when_ you're ready and not just because of some need to feel, then it'll be different. I've never wanted the way I want over you, and that's not going away. In fact, it keeps getting stronger."

"You know how much I want you, right?" she asks, surprised by how easy it is to be forthright with him like this. No blushing, no stammering, just complete honesty. "I want you so bad, more than I ever knew possible, Sirius. It actually scares me a little, how much I feel for you, and how little time it took to happen."

"You're scared!" he laughs, "What about me, love? I'm bloody terrified I'll bollocks things up but good!" He pauses, the grin sliding off his face. "I'm not good at this kind of thing, I know, but I'm trying."

"You're wonderful," she beams at him, leaning forward to press a kiss to the corner of his mouth. "Everything about you is wonderful."

He scoffs at that. "I'm not, Gin. When the Dementors were there, you know what I kept thinking of? My father." Gin's throat tightens, horrified at the idea that the thing a child could fear most, that his worst memory would be something his own father inflicted on him. "He had these magical chains that would tighten around someone when they struggled."

She squeezes her eyes shut against the unbidden images of him in chains, the life getting squeezed out of him. "Like Devil's Snare."

"Right," he agrees grimly, "But about a million times worse. These had a nice Dark flair to them. They secreted a potion that burned into the skin. Caused some dandy scars on people. It bloody hurt when he used them on me, I know that. Still never felt anything half as painful."

"Let me see them," she demands, clambering to her knees. "I want to see them, Sirius."

"What makes you think he used them on me?" he asks, sighing when she just stares at him knowingly, "Gin, they're under my pants, and I'm not – "

She cuts him off. "Take them off then. I want to see what he did to you. I don't know why, but I need to know."

He blushes, shaking his head. "I can't, not – not now. It's not appropriate right now, Gin."

She rolls her eyes. "Six older brothers," she sighs in exasperation, "Sirius, take the pants off, or I'll take them off for you."

Knowing how stubborn she is, he shrugs and just barely beats her hands to the buttons of his jeans. "Hey, Grabby!" he laughs, sighing at the serious look on her face, "Gin, I don't really want to do this right now."

Shrugging, she just waits. "I figure I'll see it all sometime, right?"

"Right," he has to smile at that as he lifts his hips to slide the pants off. To his surprise, her hands brush his aside, tugging the jeans off for him. She doesn't look until they're off. He watches her face, waiting for the first signs of revulsion, horror, disgust, or, worst of all, pity. To his surprise, she doesn't betray any emotion at all. He almost arches off the bed when her fingers begin tracing over the ugly marks.

Her heart breaks a tiny bit more for him, and she wonders what other awful things happened in that house of horrors he grew up in. The horrid marks, which begin mid-thigh and continue where she can't see them under his boxers (an area she is trying hard to ignore, no pun intended), are a dark, livid purple. Some spots are depressed where the flesh appears to have been burned away, and some are raised where the area healed overzealously. There is no doubt that a link chain made them, and that it was an extremely awful injury to receive.

Without thinking about what she is doing, Ginny leans forward and kisses the puckered flesh of the scar. He gasps at the sensations – her hair resting on his thighs and pooling on the fabric covering his erection, her soft lips and wet tongue as she traces over the path of the scar.

When she's done giving the motherly (in a decidedly unmotherly way) comfort of kissing his wounds, she lays with her head on his hip, giving him a soft smile.

"Why're you smiling?" he asks, desperately searching for something to concentrate on other than how bloody good her lips would feel on his cock.

"Because you never cease to amaze me," she answers, her smile never wavering, "That you could survive this, something so horrible and painful, and the rest of your childhood in that house with those foul people, it just shows how much strength and character you have. That is really something."

He shakes his head, sighing. "Come here, would you?" She lifts herself, moving up his body with a feline grace that actually has him hardening further, quite feat considering she'd been kissing and licking mere inches from his cock seconds ago. She lies against him, her long hair trailing over his shoulder and the only thing separating their upper bodies is the transfigured lace top she's wearing. She tangles her legs with his, planting kisses over his jaw as he pulls the covers over them.

"Why did he do that to you?" she asks quietly, "What on earth could you have done that he decided _that_ was a fitting punishment?"

"He came home from work one day and caught me playing with the neighbor boy, a Muggle," Sirius shakes his head, "The boy drowned a week later, and I've always wondered if my father did something to him. After that, I avoided all Muggles, terrified the same things would happen. When he died, I played the game with my mother because she didn't have that ruthless cruel streak that he did."

Ginny nods as her fingers trace over his chest in a lazy, spiraling patter. "And to thumb your nose at your father." She nuzzles her nose against his chest and drops a quick, openmouthed kiss there before lifting her head. "I'm sorry you had to go through all that, Sirius. If I could give you anything, it would be a happy childhood."

He pushes her hair over one shoulder so he can touch all the bare skin of her back without it in the way. "You were amazing out there today, Gin. I can't say that enough. A part of me wanted to sit back and watch you go. It was amazing."

She purrs in contentment as his hands slide down the curve of her back coming to rest on her rounded backside. All of a sudden, she gasps, tensing against him. "My Patronus changed! I can't believe I forgot about that!"

"They don't do that often I take it," Sirius frowns, tugging her back down towards him, "Is it bad that it changed? Seemed to get the job done, at least."

She nods distractedly. "I guess it doesn't matter much, but it doesn't make sense," she muses quietly, thinking of the circumstances when Tonks's changed, "When – I knew a woman's whose changed, and – oh! It's you! This is _your_ fault!"

He blinks, caught off guard by the puzzling accusation. "Erm, love, I barely knew what a Patronus was before today. I doubt there is much I could've done to it. Actually, I think I'm a little hurt that you'd blame me. Yes, I know I am!"

"Oh, stop," she laughs, her head dropping to rest against his shoulder, "I didn't mean that you did something to id. I just mean – oi. What do you know of the Patronus charm?"

"Not much," he admits easily.

"Well, part of casting the charm is finding your happiest memory, and thinking of it when you cast it. And I changed memories this time," she explains, snuggling against his chest. "I – oh, bloody hell. I know about Remus being a werewolf."

He is stunned, and raises himself up on his elbows, forcing her to roll to his side. "How?" he demands, "How do you know that? Did Snivellus say something? I'll _kill_ him!"

She sits up, moving to straddle him, which is a pretty effective way of shutting him up. "No one told me anything. I – I followed you to the Shrieking Shack last full moon. I'm sorry, Sirius. I was just curious, and I thought I'd bust you guys in the middle of a prank or something along those lines," she lies, cringing a little with each one.

He curses, squeezing his eyes shut. She stays where she is, perched atop him. "That was three weeks ago, Gin! It never occurred to you to say something before now?" He shakes his head, glaring at her. "I can't believe you didn't mention knowing! And you _followed_ me! Thanks a lot!"

"Oh, come on!" she sighs, reaching out and pinching him hard just under his left nipple. He yelps, trying to buck her off of him, but she holds fast. "Stop acting like a child! Honestly, Sirius, I was just curious, and the reason I did not make a big deal about it was because it is obviously something Remus does not want people to know about. And I can respect that. Furthermore, you lot seemed to have it under control, and that's good enough for me."

"I'm sorry," he sighs, his hands reaching out to slide up and down her arms. "It's – Moony really is sensitive about it, and we are all a little protective of him."

She smiles at him, leaning forward to kiss him. They both moan when her lace covered breasts make contact with his bare chest. "I saw that. It's amazing what you and James and Peter do for him. He's lucky to have friends like you. I am so sorry that I didn't just ignore my curiosity and trust you better."

He hugs her tight before letting his hands wander down her hips and sides to her beautifully bare legs. "I still don't know what that has to do with your Patronus changing, though." He grins as she squirms under his ministrations. "It was brilliant, though. Snarling and snapping at the Dementors. Didn't know they actually made noises like that."

"Me either," she sighs, tucking that bit away as something else to talk to McGonagall about. "My Patronus used to be a gorgeous lioness. I was so proud of her. Of course, it's hard to cast a corporeal Patronus, and it took me awhile to get it. But what I cast today….Sirius, it was _you_. Your animagus form, I mean."

"Oh," he breathes, unsure how to respond to this revelation. "Gin, I – I don't know what I'm supposed to say to that."

She turns her face so that she can brush her lips against his jaw. "You don't have to say anything at all. you don't even have to think about it, if it bothers you. But that's my truth of the day. My Patronus changed because I care about you so much."

He cups her face in his hands, gently raising her face to his. "I care, too," he says softly, the words rough and foreign sounding, "I care so bloody much for you, Gin."

Ginny kisses him fiercely. "You – you could not know how much you mean to me," she sniffs, pounding her balled up fist into his shoulder, "Damn you!"

"Hey!" he protests, biting back a laugh, "What was that for?"

"For – for making me fall in – for making me care!" She tilts her head down so she can kiss the area she just hit. "Sorry, it's just, I was supposed to care this much, you know?"

He holds her tight wondering when she'll tell him her whole story. Instead of asking, he whispers in her ear, "I guess that I got lucky, then." He rolls to his side, putting a little needed distance between them. "What memory do you use for your Patronus?"

She sighs, but doesn't protest when he backs up from her until they are no longer touching, just lying on their sides facing one another. "The first time I cast it, I used this really great memory of my oldest brother, Bill. It was the first time I flew on a broomstick, and he snuck us out of the house when Mum was yelling at the twins.

"Bill flew us to the nearby village, and he brought me this pretty green dress with tiny flowers on it. I was four, and it was the perfect day to a four year old." She smiles wistfully. "The next one I used, up until today, was of Harry, the boy I'd always liked growing up."

"What did you use this time?" Sirius asks, resisting the urge to ask what her memory of Harry consisted of. Probably not games of Exploding Snap, that's for sure.

"You," she answers with a wide smile, "Our date in London. Those were my most powerful Patronuses yet. Thank you for the memories."

Utterly charmed by her, he can only smile. "I should be thanking you. You make things – most of my life, things have been bearable at best. My friends make it more than that, but you…Gin, _you_ take it to a level I've never seen before. I hope you know – know how much I care." Taking a deep breath, he looks her in the eye. "I love you. And you probably think that I'm crazy because no one's ever loved me, so how would I know, right? I just do. I know I love you."

How he can break her heart and make it whole all in one breathless tirade, she doesn't think she'll ever understand. "I can't believe you don't realize how loved you are," is what she says, even though she is thinking so much more. "I know it isn't manly, or whatever, but your friends love you. They're loyal to you and protective of you and they love you." She scoots forward until she can lean her forehead against his. "And I love you. Lily saw that, and so did McGonagall. I hope you see it, too. I love you, Sirius Black."

He sucks in a great breath, releasing it in a shuddering rush as she brushes her fingers through his hair. For the first time in his life, he has hope.

Now he just has to get lucky and not let anything take it away from him again.

"Ah, Ginevra. Yes, right on time. How are you feeling this morning?" an extra solicitous McGonagall asks Ginny as she comes through her doorway, "You look much better, but have some hot chocolate just in case."

Ginny, who normally prefers tea in the morning accepts a cup, smiling gratefully at the teacher's slightly unnerving mothering. "I feel much better, thank you. We had lots of chocolate last night, and slept most of the afternoon and evening away." Ginny does not feel it pertinent to mention that sleep was interrupted several times by either her or Sirius instigating the most delicious snogging sessions ever. She could not stop thinking about how delicious it was to be pressed skin to skin against him. Blushing, she pushes those thoughts away.

McGonagall notices the blush, of course, but doesn't feel the need to know what is behind it. "Well," she smiles as Ginny sips her cocoa, "By all accounts, you were quite the hero yesterday. I must say, I'm very proud of you. It takes a special person to keep her cool in the presence of Dementors. It sounds like you managed brilliantly." She leans forward, smiling conspiratorially. "I don't want to spoil his fun, but the Headmaster is planning on awarding you a large number of points at this evening's dinner."

"It wasn't just me," Ginny smiles earnestly, "A lot of students tried to fight the Dementors; unfortunately, they just didn't know the only charm that works."

"Yes, the defense curriculum isn't exactly as well developed as some of our others," McGonagall laments, "We cannot keep a person in the position longer than a year. It is a source of great frustration. I suppose that is neither here nor there, though."

Ginny shrugs, helping herself to more of the hot chocolate. "Is there anything that can be done? Can we teach the charm? I'm going to teach it to my friends, obviously, and other Gryffindors interested in learning. I just don't want people to be caught unawares again. If the Death Eaters send the Dementors first, like they did yesterday, it makes us that much easier to beat."

McGonagall nods. "Yes, it does. They suck so much life and energy out of us…even with people knowing the charm, it would be hard to fight successfully after that."

"It's just bizarre," Ginny sighs, "I hadn't thought that they'd joined Voldemort the first time around. Is this a sign that I've already changed things for the worst?"

"Actually, this was an isolated incident. Professor Dumbledore spoke with the Minister yesterday, and these Dementors were able to leave Azkaban due to an error made by one of the aurors stationed there. He didn't perform the proper containment spells," McGonagall sighs in disgust.

"And they came straight here?" Ginny asks incredulously.

McGonagall shakes her head, pouring Ginny another cup of chocolate, anger evident on her face. "That would be almost preferable. Rather, it turns out that the Dementors escaped over two months ago, and the Ministry has been covering it up ever since then. Albus is quite livid."

Ginny groans, shaking her head. "So, the Death Eaters were either going to attack anyway, or someone in the village alerted them when the trouble started. What an awful mess. Well, at least they haven't joined him. Are they rounded up yet?"

"No, not yet. But the Ministry has announced that it should be taken care of soon. No one is holding their breath, though."

"They'd better catch them soon," Ginny mutters darkly, "Something worse could happen next time. I – one of the Dementors nearly kissed Lily and Snape. It was so awful."

"I know," McGonagall says quietly, "But they were spared the kiss, and Miss Evans is quite fine. I am far more concerned for you right now, to tell the truth."

Ginny smiles at her, shaking her head. "I'm fine, I promise. Sirius fed me about a pound and a half of chocolate. He was really great."

McGonagall gives her a knowing and faintly disapproving look, but does not say anything. "I'm glad to hear that he is taking care of you. I must say, Mr. Black has far exceeded general expectations of him the last couple of months. Now, he has always been a bright young wizard, but he was never one for applying himself. I personally have frequently gotten the impression that he does not so much listen to me in class as he sits and thinks over his next bout of mischief."

Ginny grins at that spot-on assessment. "Well, he's still as mischievous as ever. He begged off two dates last week in order to serve detentions. I suppose I am not really all that influential."

"On the contrary," McGonagall smiles, "The boys can get up to as much mischief as they choose so long as they keep up with their studies. That is why Mr. Potter and Mr. Lupin were given the roles of responsibility afforded to older students. Of course, Mr. Black is quidditch captain, but he likes winning as much as I do, and well, yes."

"Professor, my Patronus changed," Ginny blurts out abruptly, "And not only that, but Sirius said it was snapping and barking. I – I've never heard one do that before."

McGonagall blinks in surprise. "First things first…they can make noise derivative of the animal when cast with exceptional power. And second, what do you mean, it changed? They don't just change… A Patronus is an extension of ourselves, derived from a fundamental part in us. They do not just change."

"Well, mine has! It used to be a beautiful lioness. I – I have my suspicions on why it has changed." McGonagall nods for her to go on. "Well, what if that fundamental part of me changed?"

"Your heart has changed, and therefore so has your Patronus," McGonagall surmises, nodding sagely, "Well, that cannot be off the mark. You absolutely must be correct, Ginevra. Fascinating, and let me guess, this new Patronus is intrinsically linked to Mr. Black in some way."

"It is his animagus form," she confides earnestly, "I – my life has changed so much since I've been here that at times, it almost doesn't seem real. But then I know it is, and I'm so glad for it. I cannot imagine a life when Sirius was not in it. It seems so far away from me." She shakes her head. "Listen to me, I must sound crazy."

"Not crazy, but perhaps infatuated. It is not such a bad thing to be, my dear," McGonagall smiles, "Especially at your age."

Ginny sighs. "I guess part of me is feeling rather guilty, especially after last night. H – he told me that he loves me, Professor. And I – I love him, too, so it's not that, but…I don't think he's ever said it before, not to anyone. Certainly no one has ever said it to him. My – my guilt is in knowing that I'm living a lie here. I can't tell him the truth, and – "

"Why not?" McGonagall interrupts, "Why can't you tell him? Ginevra, if you tell him, then he'd be making an informed choice, and your mind would be set at ease."

Ginny shakes her head. "Is it really fair to tell him and risk everything just so my mind will be set at ease?"

McGonagall shrugs, looking pensive. "Ginevra, Mr. Lupin and Miss Evans have both, on separate occasions, approached me to ask about the rigors of our transfer student screening process." Ginny groans, hanging her head. "They know that something isn't right. They're questioning things, and I believe that finding out your true origins would not necessarily be a huge shock to them."

"I'm afraid," Ginny admits, staring at the floor, "I'm so scared that they'll hate me if they find out. They'll think I'm a liar and selfish and wouldn't want anything to do with me. I – they mean so much to me, and I don't want to lose them."

"You do not give them very much credit," McGonagall scolds her, "Ginevra, sometimes in life, we…will be faced with things that seem impossible, perhaps even destined to fail. Do you not believe that these are the times we must try harder and have more faith in our abilities? My dear, I know that this is a difficult situation for you to be in, and that you feel enormous pressure to do the impossible. You'll do your part, and perhaps part of that is having faith in the people around you, the people who love you." She fixes Ginny with a deliberate stare. "After all, I have not failed you, have I?"

Ginny gives her a watery smile at that. "Not at all," she agrees, "Quite the opposite in fact. And I haven't thanked you for it yet. How ungrateful of me!"

McGonagall smiles, patting Ginny's hand. "Oh, my darling girl, you do _not_ have to thank me, ever. I am so pleased to help you, to be in this with you."

"Still," Ginny insists stubbornly, "I'm – I am so grateful to you, Professor. It's such a relief to have someone to talk to about everything, and I am really glad that person is you. Being able to spend time with you during class and during our animagus sessions has been a huge comfort to me."

"And to me as well," McGonagall confides with a sad smile before turning back to business, "Now, Ginevra, Albus is a very skilled Legilemens." Ginny gulps, paling at the reminder. "I see you recognize the potential difficulties in this."

Sighing, Ginny nods. "I do not know Occlumency," she groans, "I don't even know if I'd be capable of it, either."

McGonagall gives her a reassuring smile. "Let us not sell ourselves short before we have even tried something. If you would be willing to learn, I know someone who could teach you. I – I do not condone deceiving the Headmaster obviously, but given the circumstances, it is a necessity."

"Does he often poke around in our minds?"

"No, not at all," McGonagall is quick to assure her, "Only when he has supreme cause to do so. Legilemency is not a gift that he takes lightly, nor does he abuse it."

Ginny nods, relieved. "Another reason not to tell my friends anything. If he go suspicious of me, he could access their thoughts!"

McGonagall inclines her head in acknowledgement. "That is improbable, but still possible. For now, though, let's worry about you and concealing your knowledge from him and everyone else."

"Erm, Professor?" Ginny interrupts quietly, "What about you?"

"Well, I have been extensively tutored in Occlumency in the past and am of satisfactory skill, but Albus has never used his skills on me, and I trust he would not attempt to do that in any instance." Ginny nods her understanding. "Now, as for your friends, well, how would I stop a student that chose to share her knowledge?"

Ginny, unable to help herself, giggles out loud. McGonagall fixes her with a stern look. "I am sorry, Professor. It's just, I was imaging what my brothers would do if you'd said that to any of them." She shakes her head, giggling again. "Fred and George, the twins, would be beside themselves with glee. They'd compose a song in your honor on the spot!"

McGonagall eyes her wearily. "And these boys will be attending Hogwarts?"

Laughing still, the younger girl nods, her eyes twinkling with mirth. "Oh, and they'll drive you crazy, I'm sure. But they're so smart and brave and they'll be a great pair of beaters for you. The others all do great things too, and will likely not annoy you quite as much as the twins do."

"Something to look forward to then," McGonagall utters dryly, "Lovely." Ginny laughs again, and this time McGonagall joins in with her. "You may tell them, when you go back, that I probably enjoyed them, particularly the twins, more than they ever knew."

"Or maybe you will tell them," Gin counters lightly, "I think that I would enjoy the looks on their faces at that."

"Perhaps I will," she agrees before sobering, "However, we are rather off-topic, are we not? Well, for now, I will head Albus off. I will go to him and tell him what I can of yesterday's events and your knowledge of the Patronus charm. Furthermore, I will him that you are not ready to relive it with anyone else, and implore him to give you a little space to recover. This will buy us enough time, I hope, to get someone here to teach you basic Occlumency shields. You will have to do your part as well, and avoid the Headmaster. Do not linger after meals, stay with your friends in the halls, and avoid eye contact."

"I will," Ginny promises, knowing that it must cost McGonagall an awful lot to advise her against the Headmaster in this way, "You can trust me; I won't let you down."

McGonagall gives her a wide smile. "I am counting on that, Ginevra." She stands, moving around the desk to pull Ginny into her arms. "I am so proud of you for yesterday. You are remarkable, and I have faith that we will be able to change things for the better. Let yourself have that same hope."

Ginny lets the words wash over her, bolstering and strengthening her confidence. Maybe, just maybe….

"Erm, Professor? Can I ask you one more thing? You probably, ah, won't want to hear this from me, but…"

"Miss Weasley, you may ask me anything," McGonagall smiles kindly, pulling away from her.

"How does one perform the Contraceptive Charm?"

Ginny smiles, biting the inside of her cheek to refrain from laughing as McGonagall blushes a fine shade of Weasley red. Life was fun, sometimes.


	11. Wreck the Halls

Apologies for the long wait. Life has been hectic, more than a little crazy, but I have not abandoned this story. Not by any means...

Thank you all for taking a second to leave a few quick words! I'd really appreciate it!

**Chapter Eleven – Wreck the Halls**

The week leading up to the start of the Christmas holidays passed in a whirlwind of activity for Ginny, as she began her Occlumency lessons with a friend of McGonagall's so old she sure the man would break into fragments if so much as touched. Animagus lessons continued, as did quidditch practice, despite the fact that it was months until their next match. Slavedriver boyfriend.

It was incredibly depressing to Ginny, though, that time was going by so quickly. All of her friends had homes to go to for the duration of the holidays, and with her own family being so incredibly out of her reach, she was nearing the end of her rope. It was sure to be a depressing holiday spent mostly alone in the castle. She was not looking forward to it at all.

Today was the day that everyone would be going home, and rather than say goodbye to her friends, she left Lily a note, taking the whiny and cowardly way out. Honestly, though, she didn't care. She wanted to mope and wallow as she felt sorry for herself, despite the fact that it was pretty rude not to see them off, particularly Sirius.

From the owlery where she was sitting, she had a pretty clear view of the grounds and could therefore see when the tiny looking thestrals carry the equally tiny looking carriages off to meet the Hogwarts Express. Once the carriages fade from her view, she sighs deeply before moving to stand up. It is nearly dinner, so she forgoes taking the walk to Gryffindor Tower and heads directly to the Great Hall. As expected, there are only a handful of students scattered among the tables.

Professor McGonagall gives her a smile and an acknowledging nod, and Ginny manages to beam a smile back to the woman she knows must be having a more difficult holiday than her. As much as it pains her to be away from her family and friends right now, she knows that McGonagall is far worse of a position than she is. And if nothing else, she also knows that in this time, all but she and Ron had been born, so the rest were undoubtedly sharing a cozy holiday together at the Burrow. Oh, how she longed to be able to join them there.

Most of all, though, she wanted to be with Sirius. That this constant desire for Sirius came on this quickly is a bit intimidating to her. In a good way, things felt very much as though they've come out of the blue. Perhaps because she had to spend so much time waiting for Harry to come around, it just feels a little surreal that things could go so far and fast with Sirius. Not that she was complaining; he was rapidly becoming the very best thing that has ever happened to her.

As she sat picking at her food, she didn't pay any attention to the commotion as another group of students entered the room. She continued to ignore everyone and everything until the commotion swirled directly around, taking seats on each side and across from her. Staring at her boyfriend and their friends, minus Peter, her mouth opens and closes rather stupidly. "I – you – but I thought you all went home!"

"Surprise!" Lily exclaims from behind Gin as she stares at Sirius. Lily throws her arms around Ginny, hugging her tight when Ginny shifts in her seat to smile at her friend.

"I – wow," Ginny breathes. "You – you all are staying here at Hogwarts for Christmas? What about your parents, your families?"

Sirius tugs on a lock of her loose hair, regaining her attention. "As much as I enjoy a good Potter family Christmas, there really isn't anywhere I'd be than where you were."

She feels completely overwhelmed emotionally from the surprise, but manages to laugh heartily when James and Remus both pull her into great crushing hugs. "Thank you," she gasps out. "I'm so glad to spend the holidays with you lot."

The only one looking less than completely jubilant is Remus, and Ginny quickly realizes that not only would he be worried about being the odd person out in a game of Hungry, Hungry Hippogriffs, but because the next full moon fell a couple of days after Christmas. She gives him a wide smile, pleased when he returns it.

"We're glad to be here, Gin," James grins. "You've given us a great reason to enjoy one final Hogwarts Christmas. Even my Mum doesn't decorate quite as brilliantly as ol' Flitwick does! This place is bloody brilliant this time of the year, and that's before Hagrid gets the tree in!"

"Oh, it's true," Lily enthuses. "You'll just love it, Gin. I've only stayed here once before, last year when we had a ball, but it really is marvelous."

Ginny smiles at all of them as she leans into Sirius's side. "Honestly, I'm just happy that you're all here. It wouldn't matter where I was if it I wasn't with all of you; it just wouldn't be much of a holiday."

Sirius hugs her tight, tipping his head to press a kiss against her cheek, lingering just long enough to gain exasperated looks of disapproval from several of the staff. McGonagall is particularly red in the face, so Ginny shoots her an apologetic look. Sirius just laughs about it with James and Remus while Ginny blushes and Lily purses her lips disapprovingly. "Aw, come on, Lils, can't a man kiss his woman?" Sirius whines.

"I do not see any men at this table," Lily returns so primly that Ginny recognizes right away that she's baiting them, trying to have a go at them. Of course, the boys being, well the boys, it works spectacularly.

Cries of 'Lily!' or 'Evans!' ring out from all three of them, drawing stares not only from the head table but the other house tables as well.

When Dumbledore stands up as the boys' protesting dies down, Lily and Remus blush in anticipation of the scolding they're sure to receive while Sirius and James exchange almost excited grins and Ginny looks at her hands to stifle her laughter.

"I'd like to welcome all of you to Hogwarts for the holidays," Dumbledore says, his eyes twinkling merrily. "I've found that this is a wonderful time of the year to get to know your second home here a little better." Ginny almost chokes on her tongue when McGonagall rolls her eyes at Dumbledore's offer for the students to get up to mischief exploring. "As for our meals, since we have an unusually small number of both students and staff this year, I propose we consolidate down to one table and sit together. That way, our raucous Gryffindor seventh years can include all of us in their merriment."

Lily and Remus still look horrified over what they've perceived to be a scolding, and James and Sirius have joined in their horror. The conversation will have to be seriously censored if other people would be joining them! Ginny, on the other hand, loves it, and it shows on her face.

"Stop grinning like that," Sirius whispers in her ear. "He's going to think it is a good idea, and actually enforce it!"

Ginny laughs, poking in him in the ribs. "Shush, you!" she chides him. "It won't be so bad, and I'll get to taunt those Ravenclaw and Slytherin girls who are staring at you like you're a piece of treacle tart, and they're near starving with jealously."

He frowns, glancing towards the Slytherin table. Sure enough, two girls there are staring at him rather ravenously! "That is not right," he mutters, tightening his hold on Ginny. "I think that is the Bulstrode girl who has the arranged marriage with one of the Notts. Bet my mother wishes she'd thought of that. The Bulstrodes have been ugly for centuries; would've been a great way to stick it to me."

Ginny laughs, leaning her head on his shoulder. "Their loss is my gain. I'd have to throw my wand down and fight if you'd been promised to anyone."

"Why? You'd want to take their place?" Sirius asks with a sly smile.

"Oh, be serious," she rolls her eyes, managing to keep her blush to a mere pink-tinted flush.

"I'm always Sirius," he intones, grinning mischievously as she groans and rolls her eyes. "Oh, come on, I can't play my built in pun card once in awhile? You try growing up with this stupid name and tell me you wouldn't use it!"

She smiles at him, bumping her shoulder into his arm. "I like your name. It's beautiful, like you."

He blushes hotly, and James leans forward, peering at him intently. He asks what the blush is for, and Sirius growls, baring his teeth at his friends. "If that's dog for back off," Ginny teases him, earning a warning glare in return. Lily laughs at the joke, but the other two boys stare at Sirius accusingly. He just shrugs at them, again glaring at Ginny.

"You're a brat," he tells her, breaking into a smile before turning to mock glare at James, "And you're a right pain in the arse, Prongs."

"I do hope you can control your language better at meals starting tomorrow, Mr. Black," McGonagall scolds as she approaches the table. "Miss Watson, I was wondering if you'd like to put off our meeting seeing as how your friends have stayed. Perhaps you and Miss Evans can supervise as they inevitable take the Headmaster up on his suggestion of exploring to heart."

Ginny and Lily and even McGonagall cracks a smile as the boys put on their most innocent faces. "Years of bad antics do not go unnoticed," Lily teases them, reaching out to tap under James's chin."

"We can meet as scheduled," Ginny smiles up at the teacher. "I don't want to miss out on our lessons."

McGonagall smiles widely, unnerving all of them except for Ginny, who has grown accustomed to the softer side of their professor. "Wonderful," she nods as she turns to address the boys. "You know, boys, if you weren't quite so lacking in subtlety and restraint, you would spend far less time in detention."

Sirius grins cheekily. "But then who would keep Argus and you teachers company on those long winter evenings? You all would miss us!"

"Mr. Black, you have a unique look out on detention," McGonagall notes dryly. "Now, really, I am imploring the five of you to find your decorum and use it at meals to set an example – that does not involve discussions on the best places in the castle to set off your dung bombs, Mr. Potter – yes, I know that was you."

"I told you to rewrite that essay on different parchment!" Remus reprimands James once McGonagall walks away. "You could've used it for any other teacher and been fine, but you know McGonagall runs all the standard check spells on homework!"

"Especially yours, I'm sure," Lily sighs, glancing at James then Sirius. "For that matter, the other teachers probably do, too. There is something of a reputation surrounding you both, you know. Honestly, James, it's a miracle that you made Head Boy!"

Ginny looks wonderingly at the boys. "First of all, why not write that on a spare bit of parchment? Second, where did you decide on, then?"

Lilly nods along with Gin's first question, but that turns into quick disbelief at the second. "Ginny! You should not encourage them!"

Laughing, Ginny shrugs. "Well, honestly, I think that's something every student should know, but really, I'm mostly just curious to know what spots they've deemed worthy."

"Hopeless," Lily trills dramatically, "Utterly hopeless!"

The five of them walk out together, completely unaware that they are being observed by two pairs of eyes from the head table. "Young love," Dumbledore smiles. "Isn't it a grand thing?"

McGonagall shifts in her chair, her eyes sad as she watches the retreating back of Remus Lupin. "It would be a far grander thing if it would find more of them."

"Ah, do not fret about Mr. Lupin," Dumbledore advises her. "His circumstances prevent him from letting anyone far enough in for that." Watching as Sirius lifts Ginny's hand to kiss her knuckles, the Headmaster shakes his head. "Of course, I could be wrong again. I had not counted on a turnaround like this for our young Mr. Black."

"Miss Watson is a rather remarkable young girl," McGonagall smiles. "She is a talented witch, to be sure, but the happiness she's given to Mr. Black is astonishing."

"And to you," he notes blandly, but McGonagall stiffens at the comment. "Ah, now, Minerva, I do not mean anything untoward by that. It is just my observation that she has perhaps given you back a tiny bit of what you have lost. It is nice to see."

After a moment, McGonagall sighs. "She and I are working very closely together for her seventh year project."

Dumbledore's face alights in a smile. "Ah, then she is your animagus-in-training," he nods. "I had been most curious. Very well done, Minnie. I have to admit, I've followed the progress of Miss Watson closely, curious as to how a transfer student would fare. All of her professors have given me glowing reports about her abilities, as well as her care with our other students.

"Between that and her skill on the quidditch pitch and her ease at making friends, it almost seems as though she has always been here."

Wondering at that last comment, McGonagall uneasily changes the subject. "You will be pleased to know that Mr. Black is receiving higher marks now than he has since his second year."

"Ah, Minerva, you will of course forgive me for being more interested in how much happier he seems these days. It has made all the difference, has it not?"

"It is nice to see," McGonagall concedes again. "I do not think finding love is something he'd take for granted as some of us do. It will be interesting to see where things between them go."

"Very far, it would seem," Dumbledore smiles, peering at McGonagall over his half moon glasses. "I would wager they've already exchanged 'I love you's'. No, neither will be willing to let go without a fight. They are each other's destinies."

McGonagall shakes her head. "Codswallop. You and I both know that nothing is written in stone. There is free will to consider, and – "

Dumbledore shakes his head. "While that is entirely true, to an extent, you know as well as I what the forces of magic can do. Mr. Black and Miss Watson are bonded in some way that is recorded in the Department of Mysteries, I can almost guarantee you."

McGonagall's eyes widen at the implication. "Albus, do you really think that - ?"

"I do," he interrupts. "I have been so lucky as to have witnessed similar things in the past. Their relationship will progress quickly, I predict. After all, their first date was to Muggle London; I doubt we can expect much less than marriage."

"Th – they what?" McGonagall fairly screeches, and conversation around them halts as the lingering staff and students stare at the normally reserved Deputy Head in shock. "My apologies," she says sternly, glaring at Dumbledore. "Now, what do you mean by Muggle London?"

Dumbledore smiles benignly. "Just that. Ah, Minerva, do not fret. I sent Fawkes with them, not that they are aware of that. They took a show in, the always delightful 'Wizard of Oz', and stopped by his childhood home. They were safe the entire time."

"I see," McGonagall sniffs, looking and sounding anything but convinced, "And just how did you come to hear of this off-grounds date? Perhaps more importantly, why would you not put an immediate stop to it?"

"Ah, yes, I chanced upon Mr. Black discussing his plans with Mr. Potter." The Head Boy! "As I was disillusioned at the time, a useful spell if ever there was one, they really ought nothing of speaking in front of me," Dumbledore chuckles, "But as there was no immediate danger, and both Mr. Black and Miss Watson seem so in need of a connection, I let them go. With Fawkes watching out for them, I was never more than a split second away from them."

"I do not like this," McGonagall whispers harshly. "Playing fast and loose with not only the rules but with our students safety is not something particularly intelligent to engage in, Albus!"

He nods his agreement. "Of course it is not. But sometimes, it is worth playing dumb if it gets you the results you are seeking."

"We should go to bed," Lily yawns as the clock chimes eleven on Christmas Eve. "Sooner we sleep, sooner we wake and all that."

Ginny is about to agree when something outside catches her eye. Climbing off the lap of a protesting Sirius, she runs over to the window, throwing it open. She extinguishes the bright lights of the common room with a whispered spell, and then turns her wand outside, whispering, "Lumos."

Bright light spills out the window letting her friends see what has gotten her so excited. "Snow!" Lily smiles, joining Ginny in front of the open window. "It's lovely."

Sirius stands behind Ginny, pulling her back against him. "It's been coming down for awhile, too."

James grins. "Well, what are you waiting for then? Go get your warm clothes and let's get out there! That snow is not going to play with itself!"

"Oh, no," Lily exclaims, going into Head Girl mode. "It's far to cold, not too mention, we shouldn't be out running around at this time of night."

Not ten minutes later, the lot of them were bursting out the front doors of the castle, Lily protesting that it was nearly curfew. The other four ignore here, though, far too excited by the prospect of playing the fresh and untouched snow.

"Eat snow, Black!" Ginny yells, flinging a tightly packed ball at her boyfriend. Making no effort to move, he takes the snowball to the face, falling after it impacts.

Horrified, Ginny drops the ball she was forming and runs to him, dropping to kneel at his side. Before she can even open her mouth to ask if he is okay, he sits up and shoves a handful of snow down her shirt. She shrieks his name, reaching out and grabbing at him. The rest join in, and they play around in the snow for awhile until James stands up abruptly.

"Lils and I are going to take a walk," he announces. "Wait for us before you head in?' The other three smile and agree, without a single catcall or bit of teasing from any of them.

"Give me your outer robes," Ginny orders the two boys remaining when Lily and James are going. She is pleased when Remus complies without even questioning it. She quickly casts warming spells on them and hands them back before taking her own off to the same.

Once her own cloak is bathed in the perpetual (perpetually temporary, but it suffices for the time they'll be out) warmth, she flops down in the snow, her eyes drifting closed as snowflakes land on her eyelashes.

"What are you doing?" Sirius asks her curiously, and she pops an eye open to see that Remus is rolling his eyes at her, shrugging.

She smirks up at them, then props herself up on an elbow and beckons them to join her. "Lie down, boys." They both eye her warily and completely unenthusiastically. "Oh, come on! Haven't you ever flopped down in the fresh snow before?"

"Sure," Remus grins, "When I was seven and had little to no self-preservation instinct."

"The snow is bloody cold," Sirius scowls, shaking his head. "You're bloody insane, Ginevra."

Shrugging, Remus tightens his cloak around himself before following Ginny's lead and flopping down next to her. He folds his hands behind his head, closing his eyes against the nearly full moon that is just peaking through the clouds, mocking him. He tries so hard not to be bitter about his plight, but it was still painful to know that over the next few days when the rest were reveling in the holiday, he'd be undergoing his transformation.

Sighing, Sirius gives in to flop down on Ginny's other side. "The air is so clean," he comments without thinking. "The snow is so fresh."

"Mmm, Ginny murmurs in agreement, "I love the first snow. It always gets tiresome after awhile, but the first snow each year….it's magical."

"And you'd know all about magic, right, Gin?" Remus teases her lightly, surprising himself with how comfortable he is doing just that.

"But of course!" she exclaims. "I love magic. I live for magic."

"You are magic," Sirius says quietly, clasping her hand in his.

Remus wants to feel uncomfortable with the somewhat mushy display of affection, but he finds that he really isn't. "You know the both of you are utterly hopeless, don't you?" he asks, earning big laughs from both of them.

Sirius half sits up to look over Gin at Remus. "Ah, come on," he grins. "We love you, too, Moony!" Remus waves him off with a rude gesture. "Well, I never!" Sirius huffs.

"Yes, you have," Remus and Ginny both protest in unison, looking over at each other and grinning widely. Remus winks at Ginny before smirking at Sirius. "You have, many times. Why, I remember that time in our fifth year with Louise Smythe."

Sirius glares at his friend before flopping back down. "I'll thank you kindly for shutting it now," Sirius threatens. "As your best friend and all, I'm sure you can manage that."

Ginny giggles. "Oh, I think this is a story that I'd adore hearing," she tells Remus. "Especially if he doesn't want me to hear it."

"Love, I'll tell you myself someday," Sirius promises, ignoring Remus's scoff of disbelief. "Honest Gin, next time it is just the two of us, I'll tell you."

"Go on then, Remus," she smiles, rolling her eyes when Sirius gapes at her. "Well, really, I wasn't born yesterday! I know that you'll concoct some bland, watered down story to tell, and I won't get any of the fun of the real version. You don't want to take my fun away, do you?"

"Erm, yes!" Sirius mutters, pouting at them both. "You know, I expected this type of behavior from Gin, but really Moony! Et tu? That hurts!"

Remus and Ginny laugh at the exaggerated pout with Ginny reaching over to pinch her boyfriend's cheek. All of a sudden, all three can hear one of the castle clocks chiming twelve, and Remus starts laughing. The other two look over at him, eyebrows raised.

When he catches their gazes, he grins. "I was just wondering if Lily has turned into a pumpkin yet," he laughs, adding at their blank looks. "Muggle fairytale."

"I'm sure she's had an outburst of magic, perhaps accidental and perhaps not," Sirius chuckles. "I'd almost feel sorry for Prongs, but alas…I find I cannot."

"There they are," Ginny whispers, waving at their friends. "She looks very un-pumpkin-like to me. Orange would rather clash with her hair, so I suppose that is a good thing."

When they join their laughing friends, Lily flops down next to Remus and James besides Sirius. "Looks like we were missing a good time," James notes, shivering. "Aren't you lot cold?"

"Are you a wizard or not?" Sirius asks him dryly, grinning when Lily jumps up and removes her cloak.

"We're idiots," she laughs freely. "Warming charms, James! Ginny has cast a warming – and probably a repelling charm – on their outer robes." Grinning, James charms his own clothing with the aforementioned spells after shooting Sirius a dirty look. "Much better?"

"Much," James immediately agrees with his girlfriend, dropping back down in the snow. "It's officially Christmas now."

"Happy Christmas," Remus calls, and the rest echo the same. "This is a nice way to start the hols off, no?"

"I think so, too," Lily agrees after a moment. "This has been fun."

There is something of a stunned silence after that, only broken when Sirius barks out his amusement. "Oi, Evans! If we'd known you could have fun, we'd have invited you out after curfew years ago!"

Lily's eyes widen incredulously and she jumps up to her feet. "What? What do you mean, after curfew?" she yells in horror. "Sirius Black, if this is a joke, I will deduct so many points…." Ginny, Sirius, and Remus all stare at her in open-mouthed shock, but James just lays back, trying not to laugh out loud. "Oh, honestly, of course I know what time it is! You lot are rather gullible, aren't you?"

James cracks up, and after a minute or so, so do Ginny and Remus. Sirius continues to stare, dumbstruck. Finally, he sits up, extending his hand over Ginny and Remus for Lily to shake. "Not too shabby, Evans. You might not be so bad yet."

"Oh, if that is as close as I'll get to having the illustrious approval of the Great Sirius Black, then I guess I can die happy," Lily intones dramatically.

"Probably," Ginny coos at Sirius, laughing in delight. He scoops up a handful of snow and drops it on her face in retaliation. "Siri!"

Sirius just grins at her, pushing his way to his feet. "Who's up for a visit to the kitchens? I didn't get nearly enough to eat at dinner, and a warm butterbeer would really hit the spot right about now."

Lily is the first to stand with him. "Well, I for one, would love a hot chocolate. I am definitely up for a visit. Ooh, maybe some biscuits to go with the chocolate would be in order."

"Alright, let's go," James enthuses as the rest move to stand. "Let's see if we can't get inside, hopefully without running into Filch. It'd be so much easier if we still had…well, never mind, let's get in there. Just remember to be quiet."

"I fail to see how you boys have managed to get up to so much mischief over the years when the most stealthy thing about you lot is Sirius's orange t-shirt," Lily whispers after a few minutes as they tromp towards the kitchens.

As the other three pull ahead, discussing the stealth – or lack thereof – of the Marauders, Sirius grabs Ginny's arm, pulling her down a side corridor. She ways patiently, looking up at him with trust in her eyes as she waits for him to explain why he's dragging her down hallways away from their friends. "I just wanted to warn you that my present for you won't be under the tree tomorrow morning."

She smiles up at him. "Okay. It's not a naughty present, is it?" she teases him, settling down a little in surprise when he doesn't laugh with her or even make innuendo. "Sirius?"

"I just want to give it to you in private," he explains, about as serious as he gets except in matters involving his family. "I want it to be you, me, and…and the gift."

Ginny lifts her hand up to lay upon his cheek. "However you want to do it is fine by me. You can give it to me anytime you want. Doesn't matter."

He smiles at that, turning his face slightly in order to press a kiss to her palm. After that, he catches her by surprise, turning them and pinning her to wall before she even has a chance to gasp in surprise. "We'll sneak off together tomorrow afternoon, right?" he asks, inwardly smiling as her glaze over in response to their intimate contact. "Love you, Gin," he breathes in her ear. She wriggles restlessly against him, rubbing herself on the thigh he's managed to wedge between her legs.

Moaning softly, Ginny wraps her arms around his neck. "Oh, I love you, too. So much."

He laughs, dropping his head to nip at her jaw. "You sure you mean that?" he teases, his hands trailing over her rib cage under her sweater. "Sounds awfully heat of the moment to me, young lady." She reaches up, turning his face back to her to show him the sincerity in her eyes. "You know you're never getting rid of me, Gin."

"Why would you think that I'd want that?" she asks, smiling as his fingers trace ever higher. "For as long as you'll have me, I am yours."

He kisses her hard, trying to pour all his emotion for her into it. She clings to him tightly, purring her contentment as his hands begin a more earnest exploration. Neither can believe how fast or how far things have progressed between them, but neither is scared or bothered by it either. Ginny especially is able to take comfort in their relationship despite her fears of her time here coming to an end.

She smiles, pushing him back slightly. "We should go find the rest of them. If you and I or Lils and James keep sneaking off one couple at a time, I'm afraid we'll give poor Remus a complex. He'll figure we've worked out a babysitting schedule or something."

Sirius laughs, reaching down to take her hand. "I'll just tell him that it was your idea if he asks about it."

"Berk."

"Oi, but I'm your berk," he grins, tugging her down the hall with them until they arrive at the painting marking the entrance to the kitchen. "Tickle the pear?"

She rolls her eyes, but nonetheless does as he offered, and the painting swings open to admit them. "There you are!" Lily exclaims as they step through the hole. "Get a bit lost there?"

Ginny laughs, lightly swinging the hand that Sirius is holding onto. "Well, there are an awful lot of twists and turns around here. Although, I did try to tell Sirius he was taking me the wrong way when he pulled me into that side hallway. It wasn't so much a shortcut." She pauses, tapping a finger to her lips. "To tell the truth, he didn't seem all that fussed about it."

"Brat," Sirius grins, swatting her fondly on the rear.

"Now, now," James chides Sirius, hooking an arm around his friend's neck and guiding him towards a small table already occupied by Remus. "None of that business. Now, you sit with us. You girls can occupy yourselves for a bit, right?"

Lily giggles even though Ginny doesn't see anything particularly funny. Raising her eyebrows at Sirius, she shrugs. "Oh, I think we can manage a few minutes without our big, bad boys to protect us."

James preens – actually preens – at that, and both Lily and Remus crack up as if it was the funniest thing they'd ever seen. Before Ginny can do more than exchange a confused and slightly concerned look with Sirius, Lily is dragging her away.

"What's going on, Lils?" In response, Lily pulls out a bottle of firewhiskey. Ginny's eyes widen in comprehension. "Lily, McGonagall would have your badge for this!"

"But it's fun!" Lily laughs loudly, dragging Ginny over to another table and falling onto one of the chairs. "Okay, here, I stole James's bottle…I think he has more, but anyway. I'm having another drink."

Indeed, Lily takes another swig of the firewhiskey straight from the bottle. She coughs at the intense burning, and Ginny shakes her head. When Lily holds the bottle out to her, Ginny smiles. "No thanks, Lils. Hot chocolate sounds better to me."

As soon as she voices that, a house elf appears with a tray of different hot chocolates, and Ginny takes it with as she smiles her gratitude. Lily takes one, too, before doing a little happy dance. "Oh, this is so exciting, Ginny! I'm so happy you're here for this!"

"Oh, me too," Ginny sighs, fighting the urge to shake her head. "So, how'd James talk you into this? And where'd he get the firewhiskey anyway?"

"Well, I was going to say 'no' when we were out on our walk, but it really was cold out there and James swore that firewhiskey has warming properties like the Pyronus Potion, and it did! Warmed me right up!" Ah, that explains the advanced state of Lily's inebriation if she'd started drinking outside then. "And then we had more with Remus!"

Ginny nods, biting back a smile. "I see, fascinating story."

Lily smiles, leaning into Ginny. "I love him, you know. I do, and I want him to see me as more than just Little Miss Priss."

"Oh, Lils!" Ginny exclaims. "James Potter is so head over heels for you that you never have to be anyone but yourself. Honestly, that boy loves you, and there is nothing he wouldn't do for you."

"I want to have fun with him," the other girl continues on, almost as though Ginny hadn't spoken. "I want him to look at me and think that I'm fun – funny – in addition to the other stuff. I don't want to be just the rule-abiding Head Girl that everyone sees me as."

Ginny smiles sympathetically. "Believe me, you aren't just any of those things, to anyone. Especially not for James. He sees you for how wonderful you are, and he loves you for it. Has for a long time, really." Lily still looks unconvinced, so Ginny goes in for the kill. "He stares at you like there is no one else in the world, like he's the first person to ever discover love, and that's all for you, Lils."

Lily laughs a little, taking another swig from the bottle. "Fair enough," she agrees with Ginny's assessment. "How about this, though? I'm not a, pardon the Muggle expression, goody two shoes. I know that everyone thinks I am, and there is a reason, but it isn't all there is to me!"

"No one thinks it is," Ginny insists. "Believe me, we all see how very much there is to you, and really, anyone who can put up with the Marauders for seven years and not kill at least two of them? I mean, you ought to be an honorary member just based on that!"

Lily laughs again. "I guess. I just want all of his friends to like me."

Ginny smiles. "And they do! They all like you, Lily!"

"Oh, no, Sirius does not like me. Just the other day he told me to remove the doxy from my rear and lighten up." Ginny snorts back a laugh, knowing it would not be appreciated right now. "He hates me."

"And I disagree," Ginny smiles, countering softly. "I think I know him well enough to do that, too. Listen, if you promise me you want say anything, I'll tell you a little something about Sirius Black." Lily nods. "I was the first person he ever said 'I love you' to, and the first to say it back to him. Now, you know as well as I do that he loves James, Remus, and Peter. You – well, you take James's attention away from him, and he doesn't know how to handle it. Really, it's him, not you."

Lily laughs, drumming her fingers on the bottle of firewhiskey. "Makes sense then, that he's nicer now that you're here. He has you, and doesn't have to worry so much about losing people who loves him."

"That and he's eighteen now. They've been best of friends for seven years, and James's home really has been a home to Sirius, too," Ginny offers. "He knows that his friends will always be his friends. It just took him awhile, a lot longer than normal, to get to that realization."

"Well, I suppose that also makes sense," Lily sighs, taking yet another swig from the bottle. "Does this mean I have to be nice to him now?"

Ginny grins, shaking her head. "Well, we don't want to scare the poor boy now, do we?"

Laughingly, Lily hiccups and flames come out of her mouth. Ginny shakes her head, laughing, too. "Oh, this is fun," Lily enthuses. "Are you sure you won't try some?"

"I'm sure," Ginny smiles, refraining from reminding her friend about her six older brothers and pointing that not only were brothers not good at hiding things from little sisters, sometimes they even shared. "Hey, I never got to ask you again – what did you decide to do for James's Christmas present?"

Lily grins, either blushing or overheating from the firewhiskey. "Same thing. Myself, I mean. I'm giving him myself. Me. Well, I'll be naked."

Ginny nods, somewhat having expected that. "Just don't feel like you have to," she cautions her friend. "You do not have to do anything you don't want to do."

"I know that," Lily laughs, "But I want this. I just know that James and I are going to get married and live to be about a hundred and fifty years old. Why not start practicing for the hordes of kids we'll have eventually right now?"

Her heart constricting painfully at the chilling words, Ginny swallows around the lump in her throat as she nods. All she can do is hope that they get that opportunity. "Just…you know, be careful."

Lily smiles. "Oh, don't worry, I've got Wizard and Muggle safety measures in place." Ginny laughs at that. "Well, I'm ready. And I think James is, too."

"I'm sure he is," Ginny grins, wondering at the possibility of an eighteen year old wizard out there somewhere who didn't fancy himself 'ready' for that. "Where are you planning to, you know?"

"Well, Sirius snuck you out, right?" Lily blushes. "I know James helped, so I figured we could do something along those lines. I actually made reservations at the Leaky Cauldron."

That sets Ginny's mind at ease somewhat, knowing that Lily has thought it through enough to plan it out to this extent. "The Head Boy and Girl gone on the same night? Better do it before the hols are over and you two have to patrol again."

Lily laughs, blushing when the boys come over to their little area, Remus and James both leaning heavily on Sirius, who in turn does not look thrilled. "If you're drunk, too," he sighs at Ginny, shaking his head, "I am going to lose."

"You imply that you ever had it," Ginny counters with a grin, "But for the record, I am perfectly sober, thanks. If you can manage those two, I can probably take on the rapidly deteriorating motor skills of one Miss Lily Evans."

Sirius groans as the drunk trio starts laughing uproariously over something a very nervous looking house elf apparently said. "We could just leave them here," he suggests hopefully. Ginny steps behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist. He relaxes into her, smiling to himself. "What's that for?"

"Nothing," Ginny replies. "Maybe everything. Mostly just because I wanted to hold you for a minute." She lets her eyes drift shut, forgetting they aren't alone. "Maybe I want to hold you forever."

"Aw!" Lily gushes from behind them while the two boys snort with laughter. "That was so sweet!"

"Oh, God," Sirius groans. "Let's go. Amusing as it might be to let you three stumble and fumble you way back to the Tower, I can't it anymore." He grins eagerly at his girlfriend. "We could dump them in the common room and sneak back out for our own fun."

She tightens her arms around him, awfully tempted. "Sounds wonderful, but it is rather late. Plus, it's Christmas, and we'll need to get up early so I can give you your present."

He laughs, stepping of her grasp to give James and Remus a nudge towards the door. He pulls his wand out, quickly casting silencing and cushioning spells on each of them. At her questioning look, he shrugs. "They're loud, and I'd rather not listen to them moan about their various aches and pains tomorrow."

"Okay, she grins, trying not to laugh as the three firewhiskey fiends gesture wildly in protest of being silenced. "Let's take the long way."

"Huh? Are you out of your mind?" Sirius frowns, "I think we'd be best off getting them back to the Tower quickly, don't you think? Sooner the better, I say."

She nods, groaning as James and Remus start testing out the cushioning charm by bouncing off one another. "Oi. Well, I just figure there aren't many teachers her to patrol, so if we stuck to the side hallways, maybe we won't get caught with them like this."

He beams at her. "That's my girl. Smart and bloody gorgeous." Ginny laughs when James makes a gagging motion with his hand and Sirius flips him a rude hand gesture. "Bloody berk."

"Come on, let's go."

It takes the better part of an hour to get them all back to Gryffindor Tower. About halfway there, Ginny and Sirius made the unspoken decision to levitate Lily and James. Remus's late joining of the party and his werewolf blood combined to make him far more sober than the other pair.

"Go up and get in bed," Ginny orders them sleepily as she removes the spells that had been cast on them. Immediately all three begin protesting the treatment until Lily abruptly announces she is going to bed. She actually invites James with her, to Sirius's amusement.

"Oh, that's great," he crows. "Perfect Evans wants to take James upstairs for a shag! Aren't they just adorable, ladies and gents?"

"Be good," Ginny warms him as she fights back a smile of her own. "Take them up to bed, and make sure that James doesn't kill himself on the stairs. And that he can't sneak out to try and visit Lily. McGonagall coming up here would not be a good thing."

He nods, stopping to watch Ginny as she strips off her outer layers, gathering them to take upstairs. "Only if you meet me back down here in ten minutes. I want a proper goodnight."

She can't say no to that, so she nods and smiles over her shoulder at him as she guides a nearly asleep Lily up the stairs. As soon as Lily spots her bed, she's in it, snoring away. Shaking her head, Ginny quickly changes, throwing on a short, lacy black nightie that shows off about as much as just her bra and panties would, but she doesn't even care. She throws a long flannel robe on top, belting it tightly and tying the ends of the belt into a bow. Maybe he'll take the hint and untie it.

To her amusement, she beats him back down the stairs and curls up on one of the small couches near the roaring fire. After waiting a few minutes more, she gets bored and decides to sneak up the stairs and find him. She'd been up there before, as a dare during her fourth year, but this had a decidedly different feel to it. When she gets to the seventh floor, she stands by the door trying to hear if he's having trouble getting James and Remus into bed.

All of a sudden, the door flies open and Sirius bursts out, not even noticing her as he casts about four different locking and imperturbable spells on the door.

"Bloody berks," he mutters, glaring at the door as if they can see through it.

"Aren't you supposed to be somewhere?" she asks, her voice husky, in his ear. He jumps, startled, but as he turns, he has a huge smile on his face.

"What would our Head Girl say if she saw you now?" he teases, stepping in close to her. He reaches down, fiddling with the wide sleeve of the robe.

Ginny smiles back at him, pretending to contemplate the question. "Well now, I don't know if I care much what she might have to say. Actually, I know I don't care about that at all right now."

He raises his eyebrows, feigning surprise. "But then whose, oh whose, opinion could you be worried about?"

Stepping even closer to him, she moves to wrap her arms around his neck. "It's Christmas, Siri." He nods. "What do you do with your gifts?" At this, he lifts an eyebrow, but doesn't say anything. "Hmm, well, me? I like to unwrap mine. Starting with the bow."

"The bow," he repeats, his eyes alive with heat as he looks down at her. "Like this one right here?" He reaches down between them, fiddling with the tie of her robe. "Can I untie this? Do I get to open you up, Ginevra?"

"I'm yours," she says in a way that is almost humble, and it takes his breath away. "I'm yours and you do anything you want with that bow."

His eyes widen at that, and he takes her hand and guides her to the staircase. "Head Boy's room," he explains as he pulls her up the stairs. "James stays in the dorms with us, though." Gin nods, having expected that. "But we all know the password. Moony uses it sometimes to rest after the transformation. I – well, James and I figured he'd have been Head Boy if it weren't for the werewolf thing. 'S'only fair he gets to use it most, right?"

"You know, it's really sweet how much you boys care about one another," she tells him, laughing when he crinkles his nose, taking offense to being labeled 'sweet'. "It is!"

"Gin, you're going to ruin my manly rep," he pouts. "Quit saying all those mushy things about me. It's just not right.

She laughs at that, her hands resting on his chest and rubbing in tiny circles. "How about this, then? It'll be our little secret. Just yours and mine, no one else even caring. Now, Sirius Orion Black, are you going to untie the bow I made for you?"

"For me?" he croaks, his eye cast downward to the bow as he pictures what is beneath it. She takes his hands, flatting them against her tummy as she guides them towards the bow. "Bloody hell, Gin."

"Untie the bow," she encourages him softly, the tips of her fingers brushing over the backs of his hands. Not needing further encouragement, he grins when he sees the black lace, glancing up and winking at her. He slides his hands upwards, never leaving her body, until he reaches the top of the robe. He pushes it off her shoulders without asking for permission.

"Are – are you ready?" he asks, practically crossing his fingers in hopes she'll say yes.

She takes a deep breath and looks up at him. "I'm not ready for everything, but I'm ready for…more. I want to touch you, Siri, and I want you to touch me, too."

Touching? He's pretty sure he can live with that, especially if she can be talked into some mutual tasting, as well.

Oh, yeah. Happy Christmas indeed.

'This is the way to wake up,' Ginny thinks to herself as muffled Christmas greetings find their way up the staircase to the room usually occupied by the Gryffindor Head Boy. She was sprawled across Siri's chest, her body covered by the shirt he'd discarded several hours ago. The only thing he was wearing now were his boxers, and she blushes at the memory of helping to remove them, as well as helping to get them back on.

She sits up, her long hair trailing across his chest. He stirs at the movement, muttering indecipherably and turning towards her. Drawing her knees to her chest, she indulges in the intimate act of watching him sleep. "I can feel that, you know," he says without opening his eyes, "And yes, I know I'm gorgeous, but wouldn't you rather have a bit of a lie-in, love? As in, lie back down with me."

Grinning to herself, she moves off the bed. "It's Christmas, you fool. Wouldn't you like to go open gifts with everyone?"

"Nope," he grins cheekily, propping his hands behind his head and still not bothering to open his eyes. "I want to stay here and maybe try some of the things we tried last night again. Just to make sure we've got them down perfect."

"No!" she laughs, dancing across the floor to collect the rest of their clothing. "Get up, or I'll wake you the Weasley way!"

She doesn't even realize what she said as she bends to gather a few items of their clothing, and she doesn't see the way he freezes or how his mouth falls open. It hits him hard, hearing her use the name that appears on the Marauder's Map. Despite the sinking feeling in his stomach, he manages a wide smile when she turns back to him, her arms full of their clothes.

"Get dressed, lazy," she chides him gently. "My wand is here somewhere, and I won't hesitate to pour water on your pretty head."

"Ha, yeah," he laughs weakly. 'Water? Is that the Weasley way then?' Sirius is at a loss for words in a way that he doesn't even think he has before. Unable to help himself, he asks, "Water? That's the Weasley way then?"

She doesn't notice his strained tone as she dumps the clothes she's carrying over his legs, giggling madly. "Mmm, it is. The twins in particular are big fans of using it on Ron, but then again, we all were. Really, he gave the best reactions. He'd chase whoever did it, after squealing like a girl of course, and then he'd inevitably trip and fall on his bedcovers or bang into a dresser or chest." She beams a smile at him. "Not to say he's always an idiot, though. His chess game, wow."

Swallowing hard, he stares at her. "Weasley? Is that really your name, then?" She pales considerably, telling him all that he really needs to know. "Do – how – I don't understand. Why lie about that? Who the bloody hell are you?"

She blanches at his tone, taking a step away from the bed. "Siri, th – this is one of those things I can't tell you. I would, I swear on everything that matters to me, if I was able to, I'd tell you everything in a heartbeat."

"Well, then," he sneers. "I guess it is mighty convenient that you can't. Because hey, it sure makes sense that you can tell a bloke you love him, but not your real name. Then again, I suppose if it's all a lie, what difference does one more make, right?"

She lets him rant at her, he knows, because she feels guilty for lying to him. He can't decide if that matters or not.

"No," she finally protests when he trails off. "That wasn't a lie. It isn't a lie! I love you, Godric help me, and you can think I'm a liar about everything else, but you have to believe me about that. You have to."

"I don't believe anything you say or do, past or present tense, you liar! You aren't Ginny Watson, you clearly don't really love me, and I doubt you're even a virgin like you proclaim to be!"

The deadened feeling that came along with getting caught seems to fade in Ginny, and she bristles at him. "How dare you?" she yells, climbing on the bed and leaning over him. "How dare you act like you don't know that you've become my world!" She breaks down a little, choking back a sob. "You think I'm not a bloody virgin? Fine, you want proof?" She pulls his shirt off of her, throwing it over her shoulder. He gawps at her as her panties go the way of the shirt and she flops down on her back. "Well, go ahead then! Get your bloody proof since I'm such a liar!"

He stares at her with his mouth open before turning his head away. "That wouldn't prove anything," he sighs, grabbing his pants as he sits up. Without looking at her, he gets dressed. "Why?"

That one word has her tiny body shaking with gut-wrenching, barely suppressed sobs. "Siri, I want to tell you. There is no way that I could tell you this without – without – "

"Without what? Without exposing yourself as the liar you are? So what is it? What's the deal, are you a Death Eater?"

"Bugger off, Black!" she yells, scrambling to pull her panties on and then the long ago discarded black lace night she'd worn. "You don't get to ask that! Nearly half my life now, I've been fighting Death Eaters or Voldemort himself, and I've watched them hurt people I love! I would give my life if it saved you or my friends or my family. So you don't get to accuse me of things you know absolutely nothing about!"

He stares at her, almost pleading with her for the truth. "Damn it, Gin. Just tell me. I don't understand why you won't trust me with this, baby! You'll sleep with me here, nearly naked, but you can't tell me what your last name is or why you're trying to hide it?"

She shakes her head, not knowing how to make him understand. "I trust you. In every sense of the word. But I can't tell you this because it is too dangerous. I – I don't think there is anything else I can say to make you understand that I really can't tell you!"

"I haven't asked you for a whole lot," he says quietly, "And I don't expect or demand things from you very often, either. But I need the truth from you now, love. Please, Ginevra."

"I want to," she sniffs, sucking in great painful gasps of air. "You have no idea how badly, Sirius."

"Then do it," he says softly, kneeling on the bed as he stares at her intently, holding her gaze. "Tell me what's going on, and then we'll fix it, okay? I'll help you deal with whatever this is. Please, baby, tell me."

She's torn, and they both know it. What he doesn't know is that if he reached out for her now, she'd probably give in, consequences be damned. But he doesn't know it, so he doesn't do it. There is a huge part of her that wants to tell him everything, to let go of her burden, but the more practical side of her wins out, sadly enough. "I can't," she whispers, closing her eyes when he lets out a bellow of pure frustration. "I'm so sorry. More than you'll ever know."

He huffs out a breath of bitter anger before moving off the bed and dressing. As soon as he's dressed, he heads to his dorm and changes quickly. If he wasn't so bloody angry, he'd at least go back up there and give her James's invisibility cloak so she could sneak out of the boys' dormitory unseen. Frankly, he's not so concerned about her embarrassment or discomfort right about now.

After washing his face, he pastes on as cheerful of a smile as he can muster and heads for the common room. His friends are there, all sitting together with their presents gathered around them. Lily is leaning against James, and both are laughing at something Remus is saying. To his relief, Ginny is not there. He does not want to face her yet, to look at her and know she could – wouldn't ­– tell him the truth. It hurts worse than he ever could've imagined.

"Good morning!" he greets his friends loudly, compensating for in volume what isn't really there in enthusiasm. "What say you the four of us go get some breakfast?"

That is met with curious and confused stares. They're all quiet for a second until James breaks out of it. "Don't you mean the five of us?" he teases with a grin. "I know you aren't the smartest bloke around, but surely you can count."

Sirius merely nods, his face frosting over. "Yeah, I can count, thanks. One, two, three, four. Let's get food and then open prezzies."

Lily frowns. "Well, what about Gin? We ought to wait for her before doing either. Really, Sirius, what has gotten into you? Where is she, anyway?"

"Nothing," he snaps angrily, "And I don't care where she is. In fact, I don't care if I never see her again."

The girl in question is standing at the bottom of the stairs that lead to the boys' dormitories. There is a stricken look on her face, and it is obvious to all that she has been crying. To make matters worse, all that she is wearing is the barely there negligee, and in spite of everything, Sirius bristles at the thought of his friends seeing her in that. She's got one arm wrapped around her middle while the other hangs limply at her side, robe clutched tightly in her hand.

To everyone's surprise, it isn't Lily who breaks out of the shock first, but James, who jumps into action. He scrambles to his feet, pushing past Sirius with a nasty look usually reserved for Snape, and going over to Ginny. "Hey," he greets her softly, taking the robe from her fingers and wrapping it over her shoulders. "What happened, Gin?"

She gives him a sad smile, shaking her head. "I – I messed up," she whispers, a fresh set of tears falling from her honey colored eyes as she stares at the floor. "I – I can't – I couldn't…"

"Shh," he croons, rubbing his hands up and down her arms briskly. "Did – did someone hurt you?"

"No!" Ginny's immediate answer is drowned out by Sirius's angry and indignant protest. "Oh, no, I hurt myself." She laughs hysterically before sucking in a deep, shuddering breath. "No, I'm fine. Everything is fine. I – I, um, should…go. Clean up. Excuse me."

"Ginny!" Lily calls out, finally coming out of her daze. "What do you mean by that? Are you hurt? Oh, dear, let me get Madame Pomfrey, and she'll – "

"No," Sirius interrupts coldly. "The only thing wrong with her is that she is a liar." Ginny flinches, both at the words and the cold hardness behind them. "Everything with her has been a lie, hasn't it, Ginevra?"

Ginny allows herself the luxury of glaring at him, some anger coming through now. She knows that he is hurt, and knows that he as every right to be, but this wasn't fair. He shouldn't get to disregard everything between them as a lie because it was convenient for him to do so now. She didn't deserve to have her feelings, her love, thrown back in her face like this.

She glances at each of them, her gaze lingering on Sirius. "I'm sorry," she sighs. "I am. I guess you don't have to believe that, and I certainly can't make you. If it makes you feel better, then you can choose to believe everything else was a lie, too. But I love you," she chokes out, her voice breaking over the sentiment, "And I'm sorry. I'm so damn sorry."

With that, she turns and flees up the stairs. James turns, rounding on Sirius. "What the bloody hell did you do to her? I have never seen her – or anyone, for that matter – that distraught! I don't think she even realized she was standing in the bloody common room nearly naked!"

"Yeah, you didn't really need to look at her or touch her, either," Sirius growls back, "And I didn't do anything. You know, I figured that Lily would take her side, but not you, Prongs. Not you." He looks at each of them, laughing bitterly. "Besides, I was just doing what you all wanted, right? I confronted her about a discrepancy in her story. She is a liar, but somehow that's my fault!"

"You had to do it on Christmas?" Remus asks quietly. "Come on, Pads. She's had a rough year. She lost her family, is at a new school. That's a lot to deal with, and you have to spring this on her during the hols? Bad form."

Sirius gapes at him incredulously. "Are you kidding me? She's lied about everything, and you're going to quibble about when that came out? The bint's last name isn't even Watson, you know!"

James throws his hands in the air. "Oh, well then, she must be one of You-Know-Who's minions, so we better all treat her accordingly!" He shakes his head at all of them. "I'm so sick of this. Ginny has been nothing but a great friend and person to and for all of us. And what has she gotten for it? Mistrust and suspicion." He turns, directly facing Sirius. "That's what I thought. Way to go. I'm sure you aren't the first bloke to blow things with his perfect girl, but you might have just been the biggest berk about it."

Sirius shakes his head and takes a step back. "Well, isn't this spectacular? My girlfriend, the only person who ever supposedly loved me, has been lying to me and 'can't' tell me her real story, whatever that means, and now my best friend is taking her side. Bloody brilliant!"

"Oh, maybe he's right," Lily sighs anxiously, watching her boyfriend storm out the portrait hole, his pile of presents forgotten in his haste. "How did things get such a mess today? And honestly, if we didn't trust her, would any of us have let her get this close?"

"She's right," Remus sighs to Sirius after a few moments of silence. "It hurts to be lied to, yes, but all the same, we've all trusted that her lies weren't too serious, haven't we? By not pressing on the inconsistencies, we all basically admitted to ourselves that we didn't care, that we trusted her anyway. Maybe we don't get to be mad at her."

Bristling indignantly, Sirius shakes his head. "No! We do get to be angry with her. Maybe not for those reasons precisely, but how about this: she won't tell the truth, even now!"

"Maybe there's a really good reason for that," Lily suggests. "I don't know, Sirius! I – I just don't think you're being very fair to her right now."

"Yeah, right," Sirius pouts. "I'm sure there is a fantastic reason. Anyway, you just don't understand."

"Don't understand what?" Remus asks quietly. "We know you love her, Pads. That's so obvious. Shouldn't that be enough?"

Sirius sits down heavily, shaking his head. "I asked her, practically begged her," he sighs, "And she wouldn't tell me the truth. Kept saying she 'couldn't'. What does that even mean? The point is, I don't ask her for much. I – I just wanted her to trust me enough to tell me the truth. Is that too much to ask for?"

Neither can tell him that it is, so they fall into an uneasy silence. After a few moments, Sirius stands back up. "Let's get breakfast, yeah?"

"Sure," Remus agrees hesitantly, casting a look towards the stairs Ginny disappeared up not too long ago. "Should we wait? Or Lily, maybe you could check on her?"

"No, let's go," Lily shrugs before Sirius can put his money in. "She'll want to be alone, and that's okay for now. I'll talk to her later, check on her then."

Sirius rolls his eyes, but doesn't comment. "Come on, then. I'm starving. Anyway, I want to eat and get out of there before she comes down."

"Well, that probably won't be much of an issue," Lily shakes her head. "I don't think we'll see much of her for awhile. Did you see the look on her face? She'll be hiding now for sure."

And with that, they file out the portrait hole, only Remus and Lily looking back.

"Please, Professor," Ginny begs. "I need to get out of here for awhile. Just let me go; I'll stay in Diagon Ally at the Leaky Cauldron. I won't even leave my room there for anything."

"Ginevra, I'm sorry, but that's just not how we do things around here," McGonagall sighs wearily. "And honestly, what on earth has happened? You were so happy yesterday, with your friends deciding to stay here for the holidays. I cannot imagine why you'd want to leave the castle now!"

Certain she didn't cry this much after the Chamber incident, tears again fill her eyes, exasperating her to no end. "Sirius hates me. H – he won't talk to me anymore, and I know how it happened, but I don't like being here without him now. I hate it, it's not the same."

McGonagall sighs, and while it is evident that she is irritated, there is also sympathy in her eyes as she regards the girl. "I'm sorry to hear that, my dear. May I ask what happened?"

"I – I slipped and said my real last name. H – He couldn't let it go, and I couldn't tell him the truth," she explains. "Anyway, I'm not sure if he'd believe the truth now anyway. He thinks I'm a liar; he refuses to believe that I love him. Honestly, how else would he believe this tall tale?"

"Well, you absolutely cannot leave the castle now," McGonagall states firmly, shaking her head when Ginny opens her mouth to protest. "No, Ginevra. That is something no amount of pleading can or will change. Please do not argue further." Knowing when to give in, Ginny nods. "Now, you listen to me. Do not ruin something that is so obviously special to you. My darling girl, find him and tell him the truth. He deserves to know, but not only that, you deserve to have him to talk to about this, his support and help. Do not throw away what you told me is the best thing to ever happen to you!"

Ginny sighs. "I can't. He won't listen. He said he never wanted to see me again. He doesn't care anymore.

McGonagall shakes her head. "Now, I know you don't believe that, Ginevra. While Mr. Black has some right to fell hurt, it doesn't suit you to take all of his gruff. If you are half the girl that I believe you to be, then you will straighten things out with Mr. Black and the rest of your friends."

A sad smile on her face, Ginny nods. "Well, I'll keep trying, but I don't know that it will do much good at this point."

"But you will try," McGonagall tells her, "And you will confide in Mr. Black if it means immobilizing and restraining him while you tell him your story."

"I – okay. I'll tell him the truth even if I have to stupefy him and use my bat-bogey hex to ensure his cooperation."

McGonagall chuckles. "I suppose you'll do whatever it takes, my dear."

"Okay, Ginny exhales slowly. "I – I can do this." McGonagall beams at her encouragingly, nodding as Ginny leaves her office. She hurries back to the Tower, disappointed to find it empty. Unsure where to start looking for her friends, she sits in one of the cozy chairs by the fire, intent on waiting for Sirius's return. Having not slept much the night before, it doesn't take long before she feels herself drifting off, so she stands up, pacing in front of the fire.

After an hour of waiting, staring at the portrait hole, she gives it up as a bad job. Not wanting to sit alone in the common room, she decides to wander the castle. Maybe she could find some mischief to get up to in order to distract her from everything else that was going on. Unfortunately, with the castle so empty for the holidays, there isn't all that much mischief to be found, so she settles for just walking. Eventually, her walk takes her outside.

The snow on the ground has grown crunchy from the cold, but even that doesn't deter her today. The air is still, like it might snow again soon, and everything, even the forest, is silent. She briefly considers going into the forest, but decides against it. Last thing she needs today is an encounter with a Centaur, angry or otherwise, or one of Ron's giant spiders or anything else that might be living in there.

She finally lets herself think of the morning's events. Everything that happened with Sirius seems so surreal still, so impossible in a sense. Their relationship has – or had – such a wonderful rapport and she was so love in with him that she hadn't really thought that it would ever end, especially not like that. Of course, she had no one to blame for the current state of things but herself, and like McGonagall pointed out, she should've just told him the truth.

And she will now, even if it meant writing letter after letter or sending Howler after Howler if that's what it takes. Or she'll keep trying to corner him discretely and explain things to him face to face. Maybe she'll get lucky and he'll agree to listen straightaway, but her plans do not hinge on that. She loves this man, and she'll do anything and wait any amount of time to prove that to him.

She's not sure how long she's been walking or even how far she's gone when the chill starts to set in, marking the fall of the sun, but she figures it is time to turn back towards the castle. She has the hope that Sirius will be in the common room, and they can finally talk and she can explain things. She doesn't get any further than that when a figure cloaked in black stuns her from behind.


	12. Send Lawyers, Wands, and Money

Part One – Ron's Gauntlet

Thank you for your patience while I live a very busy life. If you'd like to leave a thought or two, I'd really appreciate it!

I'm still sadly beta-less, so obviously all mistakes are mine. If anyone has any suggestions on where to find someone who would not only be a good proofreader but a fun and thoughtful sounding board, I'd love to hear it.

Disclaimer: I own (in no particular order): a car, a laptop, a corgi, thirty-three bottles of perfume, a guitar, a place in the hearts of many, but not these characters.

**Chapter Twelve – Send Lawyers, Wands, and Money**

"Help!" Hagrid yells as he bursts through the main doors of the castle, freshly fallen snow tracking in with him. "Headmaster, I have a hurt student!" Spotting no one, he shifts the slight figure in his arms, and heads for the Great Hall where he realizes they will all be now for the Christmas feast. Bursting through the doors, he yells again. "Professor Dumbledore! This girl is hurt badly!"

That is all he has to say as he enters the room to stun all the occupants with the exception of Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Pomfrey. McGonagall stumbles a little as she recognizes the long red hair that looks somehow different falling over Hagrid's large arm, but she takes a deep breath and follows Dumbledore. Madame Pomfrey is close behind her as Dumbledore has Hagrid lay Ginevra on a hastily conjured table.

As she gets closer, McGonagall can see blood on the girl's face along with bits of mud and leaves. Snowflakes still adorn her hair, so at least Hagrid had the good sense to bring her to them immediately. "How is she muddy?" McGonagall murmurs to Dumbledore. "The ground is covered in snow. Even being out there for hours, she wouldn't have been able to melt through to the ground!"

"I don't know," Dumbledore frowns, glancing towards the tables where the students have been forced to remain. "Even without seeing her, it would appear that her friends know that it is she. I wonder why she was out alone."

"There are magical injuries," Madame Pomfrey interrupts. "She was stunned, and if you can believe it, someone attempted Legilemency on her! Well, that is certainly odd, no? Any Legilemens worth his salt knows that you cannot perform it on someone who is unconscious! Oh, but she's also hypothermic, so I'd think she'd been out there awhile, and you can see the cuts on her face ore superficial. And her hair has been cut some, which…well, I don't want to think much on that now. Let's get her to the – "

"Wait!" Sirius screams as they start to levitate her. "Is – oh, hell, Gin." He races over to them, ignoring the threat of detention he receives from Flitwick as he abandons his seat. "Oh, Godric, what happened to her?"

McGonagall steps in front of him as the other two continue on their way to the Hospital Wing. "Mr. Black, we do not know yet," she says, trying to calm him down. "I know you are worried about Ginevra, but now is not the time to act like a hothead, is that clear?"

Hagrid steps in, an angry scowl marring his usually genial features. "Someone attacked her, they did. I know tha' much. Left her lyin' on the ground, even mel'ed the snow 'round 'er. Poor gel, lyin' in the mud like that, tied up with Muggle rope in the Forbidden Forest with some of her hair cut off!"

Sirius pales, staggering back a step. "Wh – what else did they do to her? Who did this? I – I'll kill them, the bloody cowards!"

"Mr. Black, that attitude is not going to do any good for anyone," McGonagall tells him tightly, even though she feels much the same way, "And if you and your friends do not remain completely calm and do as told unconditionally, you will not be permitted in the Hospital Wing to visit, and that is not negotiable. Now, Hagrid, if you would kindly join us, I think the Headmaster would appreciate you being around when he is done tending to Ginevra."

They head for the doors, and as soon as they leave, James, Lily, and Remus are hot on their heels, following. They catch up with Sirius, giving him their support as they flank him. When they look at him questioningly, he just shakes his head. McGonagall and Hagrid continue discussing where Ginny was found. James looks over at Sirius. "What did they say happened? What's wrong with her?"

Sirius looks over at his friend, his face grim. "She was attacked and left out there. Whoever did it melted the snow around her so she was left lying in the mud. When I find out who did this, they'll never know what hit them. I'll attack the bloody bastard from behind, just like he did to her!"

Lily moans a little, and James pulls her tightly against his side. "She'll be fine," he whispers, clapping a hand on Sirius's back as he does so. "She's a tough girl, our Gin."

"Who would do this?" Remus wonders aloud. "There is no one here right now that seems capable of something like this, not even the Slytherins that stayed behind. It makes no sense."

"Maybe this is why she lied about her last name," James mutters tersely, not caring at the moment that he's heaping tons of extra guilt onto Sirius's back. "Maybe someone has been after her or her family, so she had to assume a new identity, a new name."

Sirius just shakes his head, pushing away from them as he hurries to catch up with McGonagall and Hagrid. "Professor, is she going to be okay?"

McGonagall slows a little, peering at him over her glasses. "Did Ginevra find you, Mr. Black? After I denied her request to leave the castle for the remainder of the holiday, she resolved to find you and…correct her earlier mistake. Did you chase her off again?"

"No," he groans, not even caring that McGonagall apparently knows at least some of what transpired between him and Ginny. "I haven't seen her since this morning. After breakfast, I went to the owlery with Remus, and we met up with Lily and James in the common room just before coming back down here for the feast."

"Well, she was looking for you," McGonagall says stiffly, her affection for the girl overruling any trace of neutrality. "She was quite upset, but also determined to find you and tell you the truth."

Sirius nods tightly, not sure what to say about that. Hell, what is anyone supposed to say to that? Not only was it fact that she wouldn't have been out there alone if he hadn't acted like such an arse that morning, but now he had to find out that she was actually out there looking for him? Great, just kick him again while he was down.

McGonagall looks over at him and sighs. "If you did not know, it isn't your fault, Mr. Black. And I apologize. I enjoy Ginevra quite a lot, and this is very distressing for me."

"If I hadn't been so angry with her," Sirius whispers, "She'd have been with us, and this wouldn't have happened." The self-condemnation in his voice and countenance is almost too much for McGonagall to take. "I chased her off. I – this is my fault. It's all my fault."

"Oh, do not hold Ginevra blameless," McGonagall tells him as they approach the Hospital Wing, "She made her own bed with her lies, risking all of her relationships, and she knew that. And she also knew better than being out alone, especially in the forest. I cannot imagine what she was thinking."

"If she doesn't – "

McGonagall lays a hand on his shoulder, interrupting him. "Mr. Black, I am sorry if it wasn't clear, but Madame Pomfrey will be able to fix all that ails Ginevra. She will be just fine very soon, I would imagine."

He exhales a breath he hadn't know he was holding, nodding slowly. "I need to see her. I have to make sure that she's okay, have to see it with my own eyes. That's okay, I can do that, right?"

Before McGonagall can answer him, a bemused Dumbledore cuts in, "If you give Madame Pomfrey a few more minutes, I think that will be just fine, Mr. Black," he tells Sirius, his eyes twinkling madly. "I cannot promise that Miss Watson will be aware of her surroundings, though; I am quite sure I recognized a Dreamless Sleep draught being administered, and you know how those things are."

"That's okay," Sirius says immediately. "I won't bother her a bit, I swear. I just want to sit with her."

"I am sure that can be arranged," Dumbledore smiles. "I would not like to think of Miss Watson alone in the Hospital Wing on Christmas. It is good to have our loved ones near to us at times like this."

Sirius nods, anxiously trying to look around the headmaster for a glimpse of Ginny. James answers Dumbledore. "We'll make sure she has a great Christmas, Sir."

Dumbledore smiles at him. "Splendid. Ah, Mr. Lupin, if you happen to find yourself in need of company over the next few nights, let me know. It is possible that I may be of some help."

Remus, Sirius, and James all exchange astonished smiles while Lily looks on in confusion and McGonagall in exasperation. Shaking her head, the latter steps around Dumbledore. "I think I'll go see if Poppy is in need of any assistance," she says. "You will all stay right here until you are invited in, is that understood?"

"Yes, Professor," they all course, much to Dumbledore's amusement.

"Very good, then," Dumbledore nods, his gaze shifting to Hagrid. "Now, Hagrid, if you could be so kind as to show me where you found Miss Watson, I should like to take a look around there, see if we cannot find anything of note. Happy Christmas to all of you. Hopefully the rest of the holiday will prove much more enjoyable than this day has."

Lily and the Marauders watch them leave. As soon as they're out of earshot, Remus turns to James and Sirius. "Did it sound like he knows about…?

James nods. "I'd say so. That's a little disconcerting, to say the least."

Lily snorts, not even bothering to ask. "You know, it is pretty ironic that you lot condemned Ginny for keeping secrets when you do the same."

"A little different circumstances, though," Sirius argues, not bothering to admit that Ginny already knows their secrets. "Or shite, I guess it doesn't matter anymore." He looks at his friends, guilt swimming in his eyes. "She was looking for me. That's why she was out there, vulnerable to attack."

McGonagall comes out before any of them can respond to that. "Does she frequently walk around without her wand?" All four stare at her blankly, until she huffs, forced to repeat herself. "I asked you, does Ginevra frequently wander around alone without her wand?"

Sirius shakes her head. "No, of course not. She always carries it with her. She has a band on her arm that she tucks it into when she doesn't need it."

"Well, it isn't with her now," McGonagall sighs wearily. "Miss Evans, if you would be so kind, please run and check through Ginevra's things. You don't need to dig through her trunk; if you can't find it in a basic place, I'll have the house elves search the room. Now, where have the Headmaster and Hagrid gone off to?"

"Hagrid is showing him where he found Ginny," James supplies as Lily, with Remus offering to keep her company, takes off for the Tower.

"Maybe her wand is there," Sirius notes hopefully. "She is going to be crushed if it is gone."

McGonagall nods vaguely. "Mr. Black, you may go in now. I'm sorry, Mr. Potter. Poppy is restricting visitors to just one for now. And Mr. Black, when you are told to leave, do not argue. Ginevra needs her rest."

Sirius nods, but glances at James who gives him a significant look. Sirius nods at his friend's unspoken offer, grinning. "I can see her now?"

"Yes, you may," McGonagall agrees, eyeing them suspiciously, "And Mr. Potter, you may meet your other friends and tell them to come to my office with their findings on the wand. Then you'll all rejoin the feast and assure the rest of the students that things are just fine now, and there is nothing to worry about."

"Okay," James sighs as Sirius pulls a face behind McGonagall's back. There's no way out of that, so James knows it would be futile to argue.

As the professor leaves, James pulls Sirius to the side. "I'll bring the invisibility cloak down soon, okay? I'll probably sneak in wearing it. Hey mate," he sighs at Sirius's forlorn look, "She'll be okay. Both McGonagall and Dumbledore said so."

Sirius nods. "Yeah, I know. It's just, I treated her so badly. I made her walk down the stairs from the boys' dorms in that little nightie that barely covered her arse, and the worst part? The worst part is that that wasn't even the worst part. That would be the part where I was a huge berk, accusing her of being a Death Eater." He looks at his friend, reaching into his cloak. To James's shock, he pulls out the Marauder's Map. "I already knew that Watson wasn't her last name. That's why I've been hiding this."

"Bloody hell, mate," James sighs. "You've had it all this time. Gosh, I guess I owe Wormtail an apology, eh? That's unfortunate."

"I am sorry," Sirius sighs. "I just wanted to protect her, and I knew that if Moony saw this, he'd never be able to let it go. That just makes me seem even stupider now, right? I trusted her even though I knew she was lying until she admitted she was lying, but couldn't tell me the truth. Then I have to go and act like she's casting Unforgivables on people."

James glances up from the map. "Weasley? That name sounds so familiar; I'll owl my da about that, if you want."

Sirius declines. "No, let me ask her first. Maybe she's ready to tell me. And if she's not…I don't want to push it this time." He shrugs. "If what McGonagall says is true, and I don't know why it wouldn't be, then Ginny is ready to tell me."

"I wonder how much McGonagall knows," James muses, then shrugs it off. "Okay, I'm off." He grins as he backs away. "I hope she won't refuse to see you!"

James expects his friend to laugh, but Sirius just nods. "Me, too."

Pausing, James moves over to Sirius, pulling his best friend into a tight hug. "She'll be okay, Siri. You're both going to be okay, you hear me?"

Sirius clutches him, nodding his head even as he releases his pent-up emotions in a steady trickle of tears. "I don't know what I'd do…she told me she loves me, and I threw it in her face. She should hate me now, Prongs! I don't know what I'll do if that's the case. I – I couldn't stand to lose her, you know."

"She's fine," James tells him again, pulling away only to grasp him by the shoulders, "And you might be a huge berk, but you are her huge berk, and she'll forgive you for that. Just, I don't know, apologize. Tell her you're sorry, that you love her, and she'll be happy and it'll all be okay again."

Sirius nods, gruffly thanking his friend. "Thanks for everything. I – well, I'm a huge mess right now, and if you hadn't stayed, it wouldn't have been pretty."

James grins knowingly. "You'd have probably hexed McGonagall," he chortles dryly, "And she'd have transfigured you into a chair with your face for the seat cushion."

Laughing good-naturedly, Sirius shoves his friend away. "Get out of here. If you don't head off Moony and Lily, McGonagall might transfigure you into something."

"McGonagall sure likes Ginny, huh?" James notes. "I've never seen her that…frazzled, I guess, before. She was almost acting motherly."

"We all like Gin," Sirius points out, not really able to worry about anything but Gin and hunting down whoever did this to her. Nothing else was really registering with him at present.

"Well, apparently someone doesn't like her much," James points out darkly before shaking himself out of that, "But we can worry about that later. Go give your girl a kiss. From me. Because she looked way hot coming down the stairs this morning. Except for the tears, those didn't do a whole lot for me." He laughs with mirth as Sirius growls at him. "Oi, kidding! You don't have to worry about me, I have my own gorgeous redhead, thanks. But Moony…I don't know, you might want to watch that one!"

When Sirius lunges at him, James takes off running. Watching him go, Sirius can't help but shake his head. "Berk," he grins to himself as he pushes through the doors protecting the Hospital Wing from the rest of the school. Madame Pomfrey smiles at him as he passes, and she indicates Ginny's bed with a quick wave of the hand. "She's been completely healed," the matron tells him, "But she does need her rest. If she wakes up, which she most likely will not, encourage her to sleep again."

Sirius nods, willing to do anything and promise everything just to see her. "Bloody hell," he whispers as he steps around the privacy curtain. "Ah, Gin."

She's been cleaned up, and the cuts and bruises that had been on her face are now healed. But she was still eerily pale and still on the bed. He reaches out his hand, faintly brushing his fingers over the back of her hand. What he really wants to do is climb in bed with her, but he knows he'll have to at least wait until Pomfrey has turned in for the night and he has the Invisibility Cloak for cover.

For now, he satisfies himself with picking up her hand and lacing their fingers together.

"You look awful," he tells her, a small smile playing over his lips, the fingers on his free hand lightly tracing over the deep purple smudges under her eyes. "Still the most gorgeous creature I've ever seen, though. But you do look like you've been through absolute hell lately."

He takes a deep breath, settling into the chair placed beside the bed. "This is my fault, I know. You – I shouldn't have treated as I did, and believe me, I know what an idiot I was for doing so. And Merlin, Gin, I am so sorry. Does it help that I don't know what got into me, especially when you came down to the common room? I – I didn't mean any of it, not really. Don't get me wrong, I want to know everything about you including, and maybe especially, this stuff. But Gin, not knowing doesn't change anything. It doesn't take away the fact that I love you."

Sirius stares at her expectantly, willing her to open her pretty eyes any second now. When she doesn't, he releases an audible sigh, leaning forward to rest his head on their joined hands. "Please wake up," he whispers, unable to fully convince himself that she is fine when she won't wake up and tell him that herself. "Ah, love, you need to put me out of my misery here. I can't stand seeing you in bed like this, especially since it isn't mine.

"Just open your eyes," he pleads, resting his elbow on the bed and propping his head up in his hand. "They keep telling me that you're okay, but I need to see it and hear it for myself, from you. So open those pretty eyes and glare at me or open that bloody sexy mouth of yours and yell. Anything, Gin. Do anything."

But she doesn't, the Dreamless Sleep draught powerful enough to keep her slight body sound asleep for the night. Even though she sleeps on in oblivion, Sirius doesn't leave her side. After James brings the Invisibility Cloak to him, he huddles under it and lies next to her on the bed, watching her sleep.

After awhile, he takes the cloak off and climbs out of bed, sitting back in the chair there for him. This proves a mistake, though, when Madame Pomfrey comes to check on her patient and kicks him out.

"Really, Mr. Black, you cannot be here this early. Breakfast won't even be served for – oh, my, two hours! Go back to your rooms!" she orders him.

"Fine," he mumbles, glaring daggers at the woman's back as she puts together a tray of potions. "I just wanted to be with her when she wakes up."

Madame Pomfrey gives him a smile at that. "She will be fine. Now, you look as though you have not slept for a week. Go take a nap before breakfast, and do not come back until the last plate is cleared from the tables. Healer's orders."

He smiles back at that. He is tired, having roughly four hours at the most over the past two nights. So he complies, albeit reluctantly. By the time he gets back to the Tower, he has formulated the plan of hanging around the dorm room for a bit, and then waking up Remus and James to drag them to breakfast. However, the lack of sleep catches up to him, and as soon as he lies down, he's fast asleep.

Utterly bored, James Potter was about ten seconds away from asking Madame Pomfrey if she had any bedpans that needed cleaning. He was a restless bloke, and never had handled boredom well. If one wanted to examine things, they'd probably come to the conclusion that this had something to do with the staggering amount of time frittered away obtaining and serving detentions.

Leaning back in his chair, he perches his feet on Ginny's bed. As he does so, she moves a little, stretching as she wakes up. Grinning, he leaves his legs propped up, waiting for her to notice where she is. It takes another minute, but then she sits bolt upright, looking around with wide eyes. When she spots James, she settles back with a sigh of relief that makes him think the boredom has been worthwhile.

"Why am I in here?" she asks quietly, groaning as she moves too fast, "And what happened to me?" She blinks, staring at him. "Drew the short stick, then?"

"Nah," he grins. "Madame Pomfrey would only let one of us in here at a time. She says you need your rest, but I really think that the Marauders' reputation precedes us, and she didn't want to deal with it. But anyway, I beat out Lily and Remus for the honors of being first in here this morning."

She smiles tiredly at that. "Why aren't you telling me what happened to me? Is it so bad then? Am I scarred, permanently disfigured? Is my hair purple?"

Laughing, James shakes his head. "None of the above, love. If you were, would I, the shallowest man at Hogwarts, be here? I think not. Anyway, we don't really know what happened to you. Hagrid found you outside, in the Forbidden Forest. You'd been stunned, and someone tied you up with Muggle rope. I rather think that Dumbledore and McGonagall are hoping you can shed some light on things."

She frowns, crinkling up her nose. "I was never in the Forest! I walked along the edge of it, but I'm not so stupid as to go in. And…someone attacked me? From behind? I don't…who would do that?"

"I don't think they know," James admits, sighing. His brow furrows as she starts picking nervously at the blanket that covers her legs. "Hey, Gin, they're going to find him, you know that."

"Yeah," she nods, forcing a smile on her face. "So I was only stunned? Why do I feel like I fell off a broom from a great height?"

James grimaces. "Because you were hypothermic when Hagrid found you last night. No one knows how long you were out there. You should ask Pomfrey or McGonagall some of these things; they'd probably have better information for you."

She nods, settling back against the pillows behind her. "Well, what a Christmas, hmm? Spent unconscious and alone in the hospital wing. And that was the good part."

"Bloody hell, you weren't alone! He stayed here, all night!" James corrects her harsher than he intended to. "He'd be here right now, but apparently Madame Pomfrey kicked him out and he crashed when he got to the tower. Two virtually sleepless nights in a row will do that to you."

"He was here?"

"All night."

Ginny nods, mulling that over before bluntly asking, "Why?"

James rolls his eyes. "You know he didn't mean anything that he said yesterday, right? He reacted badly, and he knows it." He pulls his feet off the bed, leaning forward. "He was a wreck last night, when we were waiting for news. I – well, I've never seen him like that, not even when his mum sent a Howler to him here basically renouncing him."

"And he was here?" James nods. "I hurt him," she whispers, "And he was so, so mad at me, James. I didn't mean to do that to him; I didn't want to hurt him. And he'll never trust me again now."

Smiling, James leans forward. "I'm going to tell you something that you'll end up hearing from him, too, okay?" Intrigued, she nods. "He already knew you were lying about your name, Gin. See, we have this map – "

It dawns on her immediately what he is talking about. "Oh, Merlin! Of course, how could I have been so stupid? The map, I cannot believe I forgot about that map!"

James stares at her. "Yeah, the map. Erm, how do you know about the map, Gin?"

"Long story. Let me tell Sirius first, please? I owe him that much."

"Okay," James agrees hesitantly. "I guess that'll be fair enough then. Erm, anyway, he already knew from the map, and didn't push it from there. You know why? Because he trusted you. It was just when he asked you point-blank and you wouldn't tell him that he couldn't handle. As you know, that sent him into full berk mode."

She shrugs, again picking at the blanket. "I had it coming, though. No denying that. I'll be lucky if he ever talks to me again."

James grins. "You'll be begging him to shut up sooner than later, Gin. Look, I told you about him know so that you would know he does trust you. That was just one bad reaction. Don't let that make you doubt everything you have with him."

"When did you get so bloody smart?"

"I think Lils is rubbing off on me," he grins, puffing up at the compliment or idea of Lily rubbing on him, Ginny doesn't know which. "Look, just let him apologize. That's what he wants to do, regardless of whether you think you deserve it or not. And then you can tell him whatever it is you want. And you two can go back to being sickeningly happy and disgustingly in love."

She smiles at that. "You and Lils are no better, you know. Very, very mushy, Potter. Rather nauseating most of the time, as a matter of fact."

"Ah, Ginevra," McGonagall interrupts before James can retort, "You are awake and looking far better than when I last saw you, I might add." She smiles at Ginny as she turns to James. "Very well, Mr. Potter, I shall take over from here. Perhaps you would like to inform your friends that Miss Watson will be released shortly and will see you in the common room."

James grins, jumping to his feet. "I better go let them know, and wake up Sirius. He'll be right hacked off if I don't tell him first!"

McGonagall gives him a genial smile. "Thank you, Mr. Potter. Do try and hold off the stampede back down here, will you? Once Madame Pomfrey releases her, I will see Miss Watson back to the Tower. Is that understood?"

Shrugging, James grins wryly. "Understood by me, but I make no promises on anyone else's behalf. I doubt a herd of hippogriffs would keep Sirius away when he knows Ginny is awake." He winks at Ginny. "Actually, if I wake him with the news, he might run down in whatever he has on. And after living with him for so long, I can tell you that sometimes? That isn't much."

"Mr. Potter!" McGonagall exclaims, her lips pursing in irritation as James and Ginny both struggle to keep straight faces. "Do not make me regret giving you and Miss Evans permission to miss patrols on the very same day next week. That is what is on the line for you here, if any of your friends make their way here."

"Of course they won't," James says so quickly that Ginny can't help but let a giggle escape.

After he escapes, McGonagall lets her lips quirk into a smile. "Well, I daresay I do not want to know what he is up to. Perhaps Miss Evans will be able to keep him in line."

Ginny thinks better of offering her opinion on that, turning to other matters. "Professor, I don't understand what happened. James said I was found stunned and bound out in the forest? I did not go into the forest during my walk! That place scares me when I'm walking near it with friends; going into it alone does not appeal at all."

McGonagall nods, taking the seat formerly occupied by James. "I am glad to hear you were not that foolish. I will also refrain from scolding you for walking alone, as that lesson has surely already been learned, I would hope. Now, Hagrid found you while taking feed to some of the creatures living in the forest. He brought you back to the castle immediately.

"You were bruised, muddy, hypothermic, and bloody, and you had rope burns on your wrists from where you were bound. All in all, considering you had been effectively left for dead, you were in good shape," McGonagall relates, her voice wobbling with emotion. "Luckily, all of your injuries were relatively easy to heal, and Madame Pomfrey had you fixed up and sound asleep in no time. There is the matter of your hair, but I know several charms that will even it up, even give it something of a style."

"Who would do this?" Ginny whispers, shuddering as she runs her fingers through her hair. "It doesn't make any sense at all. A – and that's all they did, right? St- stunned me and t-tied me up? Cut my hair?"

"There were no other injuries. Poppy checked, and I was there with her when she did, my dear. Whoever did this…they magically melted the snow, and left you lying in a circle of mud." She pauses, folding her hands together as she regards Ginny seriously. "Did you have your wand with you?"

Ginny blinks, nonplussed by the question. "Yes, of course. It is very rare that I don't take it with me even to the common room." McGonagall nods grimly, looking as though she expected that answer. "Why do you ask?" Ginny asks tightly, a feeling of foreboding settling over her.

McGonagall sighs, looking at Ginny sympathetically. "Your wand is missing. At this point, it seems likely that whoever attacked you took the wand with them. Unfortunately, as we do not know who did this, there is no way to know for sure that we'll be able to retrieve your wand. We'll discuss options for replacing it tomorrow, if you can wait that long."

Shell-shocked, Ginny can only nod. Her wand? Her bloody wand is gone? She wanted to cry, scream, or rail against the injustice of it all, but instead, she can only manage a tiny, little laugh. "I – I can't believe I have to go wandless. I – I really cannot believe my wand is gone."

"I am sorry," McGonagall sighs, reaching out to clasp Ginny's hand in hers.

"I just – I know it is just a wand," Ginny sniffles, "And I'm lucky, really lucky that this is the worst of things, but…my wand! I love my wand."

McGonagall stands up, wrapping her arms around Ginny as she moves to sit next to her on the bed. "I know, darling girl, I know. I lost my first wand while on vacation with my husband, not long after we married. I cried all the way home, just horrified that it was some child's plaything." She sighs, resting her cheek on Ginny's head. "There is another wand out there for you, and we will find it. I promise."

Ginny nods, burying her face in her professor's shoulder. "I know. I just wish that I hadn't been so stupid as to go out there alone. I – I got tired of waiting alone in the common room, so I decided to walk. Eventually, I got bored walking the castle, so I went outside. That was probably around lunch time. I – I was out there awhile walking. It was just starting to get dark when I decided to go back. That's the last I remember."

"You should tell Mr. Black that you weren't out there looking for him. I believe he is feeling rather guilty. Of course, I might have insinuated you were looking for him as I believed that to be your plan, but I hadn't imagined he'd take all that guilt upon himself."

Ginny thinks that she would've known that. Actually, she knows that she would've, but that is neither here nor there at the moment, so she just nods. "I'll set his mind at ease," she sighs. "James said he was here all – erm, last night."

"All night?" McGonagall arches an eyebrow, stifling a laugh as she releases her hold on the girl. "I should've known. Well, as long as he behaved himself, I supposed he didn't truly cause any damage."

"Yeah," Ginny agrees softly, for the first time since she woke feeling warmth seep into her along with the wonder of hope. He stayed all night. For her. He stayed for her. James had to be right; that had to mean something.

"Ginevra, we will take care of this wand business. And my dear, I cannot tell you how sorry all of the staff is that something like this happened under our watch," McGonagall frets, her arm still around Ginny though they are now sitting side by side. "Albus is quite distraught, as I'm sure you can imagine. We're all working to find out who did this to you."

Ginny nods, knowing that is the truth. "I don't doubt it, Professor." She shudders again. "It's odd, thinking of myself lying out there alone. I guess I'm lucky Hagrid stumbled upon me, then."

McGonagall smiles at that, her hold tightening reflexively on Ginny. "Indeed, you are a very lucky girl." Glancing around, she casts a quick silencing spell. "I have, I believe, validated my theory based on what you told me about V-Vol – You-know-who's diary." Ginny nods, staring intently at the professor. "Ginevra, have you ever heard of hocruxes?"

Frowning, Ginny racks her brain, the word triggering something deep and nearly lost in her mind. It takes a few moments, but then her eyes widen and she smiles triumphantly. "Hermione! My friend Hermione, one third of the Golden Trio, mentioned them once. It was the summer after Dumbledore died, and she and my brother Ronald were in my room talking. I – I listened at the door, hoping to catch them snogging. She mentioned it then."

"I see," McGonagall nods, regarding Ginny thoughtfully. "And what did this Hermione say about them?"

"Well, not much," Ginny sighs, pushing her hair off her face. "Just that…that they had to destroy them. And Ron said that he wished Dumbledore was still there, so he could do it 'his bloody self'." She shrugs. "I don't know much else about them, unfortunately."

"They were looking for them then," McGonagall nods to herself before moving off the bed and back to the chair. "Do you know what a horcrux is?"

Ginny shakes her head. "Well, no. Ron and Hermione didn't mention it while I was listening. I honestly haven't a clue."

McGonagall nods. "And you shouldn't, really. In fact, no one should, but alas, here we are. Ginevra a horcrux is an object that contains a part of a person's soul. As long as a portion of your soul remains, you can never truly be gone."

"A person would…what exactly are they doing? How do you break off a piece of your soul? Wouldn't you feel it, losing a part of yourself like that?" Ginny frowns. "Is this how Voldemort has managed to stay alive? Is immortality really worth losing a part of your soul?"

"Do you really think You-Know-Who is all that worried about losing a part of his soul?"

Ginny's eyes drift closed as this all begins to sink in. Of course Voldemort wouldn't be worried about his soul. His was probably never really whole anyway. "Call him Tom," Ginny suggests, "His given name is Tom Riddle. I've always thought that calling him that took something away from him."

"Perhaps that would not be out of order," McGonagall agrees. "Referring to him as Tom seems to take away a tiny bit of his power." She laughs, but it is devoid of any semblance of humor. "Unfortunately, his ability – no, his willingness, probably even eagerness, to create these horcruxes – "

"Excuse me," Ginny interrupts. "Horcruxes as in more than one? Plural? You think he has split his sorry excuse for a soul into more than two pieces? That – that has to be impossible!"

McGonagall shakes her head grimly. "I am afraid not, and I fear it might be worse than that. While I do not presume to know much about Tom Riddle or even him as You-Know-Who, it does not seem to me that one would go to the trouble of splitting one's soul to risk it with only one horcrux. Perhaps one wouldn't want to risk just two, either. I do have a few theories on this, but it seems presumptuous to discuss them without doing some research into this Tom Riddle to at least confirm some of what I suspect. The more we know about him, the better off we will be."

"That is a singularly frightening thought," Ginny shudders, before mentally shaking herself out of it. "Professor, when Tom was here as a student, he opened the Chamber of Secrets. That is how he was able to do it again, through me. He was the Heir of Slytherin! After I opened the Chamber, Dumbledore told me that he was here when it was first opened and Slytherin's monster was unleashed. Dumbledore said it was fifty years ago.

"Of course, that's about all he told me," she sighs in frustration. "Him or anyone else. Of course, Harry and Ron and Hermione got to know all about it, but no one else was ever given any information, no matter how involved we were."

McGonagall smiles at her. "You are not expected to know everything, Ginevra. This is a puzzle; the only problem is that we have to first gather the pieces before we can even begin to put it together."

Ginny nods, trying to be patient and not demand instant gratification in all of this. "I just wish I knew more and could be helpful. It's not like I'm giving you a lot to work with here."

"Ginevra, I would certainly not say that," McGonagall contradicts her with a kind smile. "Without your help, would anyone know at this time to look for the horcruxes, however many there are? No, absolutely not. That is your doing. Just think, if you did not tell me about your experiences with the diary and its powers and properties, I never would have remembered hearing about horcruxes, nor would anyone else know to be looking for them."

"How does Tom create them?" Ginny asks, biting her lip nervously. "Knowing him, not to mention the diary, it must be fairly advanced dark magic. Extraordinarily so, I would imagine. Even I know that not just anyone can imprint their soul onto a ratty old diary."

McGonagall gives her a small smile. "I suppose it was unreasonable to hope that you would not ask me that question yet," she sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose between thumb and forefinger. "Very well then. In order to perform the charm that splits part of your soul from your body, you must take an action that starts tearing it apart to begin with." She looks at Ginny seriously. "Know that I am only telling you this because I trust you. It is not information to be done with lightly. To create a horcrux, one must commit murder."

Ginny blinks at her uncomprehendingly. How could something that horrible even be possible? She did know what she had expected to hear, but it certainly was not this. "That means that the diary I was in possession of for over half a year was created as a result of murder? As if that bloody experience wasn't morbid and twisted enough already! I was palling around with a bit of Voldemort's soul which he'd split from his body after killing someone!"

McGonagall shoots her an appraising look. "Was he not possessing you for the sole purpose of taking your physical strength so he could live again? Is this really so much worse?"

"I know something!" Ginny blurts out, her distress temporarily forgotten. "The night that Snape murdered him, Dumbledore took Harry out of the castle. Harry said – oh, not to me, but I caught my twin brothers listening, so I listened with them – that Dumbledore was weak because of the protection surrounding the locket. He told them he didn't think he was going to get them out of that cave!"

McGonagall nods thoughtfully. "You think Albus would take a student, a young boy, out with him on a mission of this importance."

Ginny doesn't have to think about it at all before answering. "Absolutely. Harry is the Chosen One, after all, and there are many rumors out there that Dumbledore knew he wouldn't last through the war and was trying to train Harry accordingly. He definitely would've at least taught Harry about the horcruxes if Harry beating Voldemort hinged on that."

"Yes," the older woman concedes, "As unorthodox as that really is, I suppose it made sense that he would know." She shakes her head. "At this point, I am almost of a mind to talk to Albus about things. I know it is a risk, but if we could prove to him your story is true, it would only be of benefit to have him with us on this."

"I – I don't know if I'm ready for that," Ginny says quietly. "It isn't that – no, it is. I don't quite trust him, Professor. I don't know if I can believe he wouldn't obliviate me or anyone else with this knowledge of the future. I know that you know him far better than I ever will, but a big part of me is afraid he'd rather let things play out without my future knowledge."

McGonagall considers that before reluctantly nodding. "As I cannot guarantee he would not do as you fear, you are right and we cannot go to him with this."

Ginny sighs deeply, looking more tired by the second. "Professor McGonagall? What about my friends? I'm going to need to tell them something. I – I suppose I cannot tell them the whole truth, either. Imagine how Lily and James, in particular, would take it."

McGonagall sighs as the girl's face falls and she seems to collapse in on herself. "How do you think they'd take it?" she asks quietly. "Start with Mr. Black. How would he take learning this?"

"He would listen," Ginny states confidently. "I know that much." She pauses, thinking about how else he would react. "I think he would believe me because, like you said before, the groundwork has been laid for him to understand. He would believe me. I can't say that he'd love it and that it wouldn't change things, but he won't doubt me."

"And how does he act once he knows?" the professor presses. "Will he be out of sorts over it? I'm sorry, I hadn't considered these things before, but now that we know more of what we are dealing with, it really is important we think carefully about who we trust."

Understanding the wisdom behind that, Ginny nods. "I have to trust him, though. Since I love him so much, doesn't that mean I trust him, too?"

McGonagall smiles wryly. "Loving a person does not make them trustworthy, but I certainly understand where you are coming from. I – you think can trust Mr. Black? Then you should tell him. He'll know the best course of action to take with his friends."

Ginny smiles gratefully, relieved beyond measure that McGonagall did not forbid her from telling Sirius the truth. She can tell him the truth and hopefully right things between them. That was probably something of a tall order considering how she'd bollixed things to that point, but James had given her hope that she had a chance, at least.

"Do you think I can go now?" she asks eagerly. "You don't even need to walk with me. I really do feel fine. Madame Pomfrey is as great as ever."

"I'm sure you may, and I'm sure you do," McGonagall smiles, but it is a little pained, "But you may not wander around alone, and before you protest, hear me out." Ginny frowns, but nods reluctantly. "Dumbledore is quite convinced that whoever attacked you is on the grounds still. The wards are set as such that we would know if people were coming and going, and as this attack on you could not have been done by anything non-human dwelling in the forest, we'd know if people were coming and going."

"Wards fail," Ginny says bluntly, "And there are ways around them."

"I understand that, Ginevra, but neither Dumbledore nor I feel this is a case like that. Therefore, we will tread lightly when it comes to your safety, in case whoever did this feels like they can come after you again."

Blinking in surprise, Ginny groans. She doesn't know that she can really believe all this – who would want to kill her, really? Surely this was a fluke, mistaken identity, a bored house elf, something! A year ago she would've done the exact opposite of what she was told, since she doesn't quite buy into the whole personal attack, after her thing, but she'd learned that sometimes it was best to listen to what other people said was right. Apparently she'd managed to mature some if she was going to be able to listen and accept silly precautions like this.

So she nods reluctantly, slightly bolstered when McGonagall smiles widely in approval. "Very good, Miss Watson. Now, if you are ready to go, you may change into the clothes that were brought down. I imagine you are eager to see your friends."

As Professor McGonagall speaks with Madame Pomfrey, Ginny changes and thinks about how very nervous she is about seeing her friends again. But before she can think much on it, McGonagall is, as promised, escorting towards Gryffindor Tower, leaving her at the portrait of the Fat Lady. Ginny sighs the password, so caught up in thoughts of split souls and impossible puzzles that she actually manages to blank on her impending reunion for about thirty whole seconds.

But the second she steps through the portrait hold, she is pulled into a pair of strong arms, and reality sets in. "Lucky that was her," James snorts from his chair across the room. "If it'd have been that skittish fourth year boy that's here for the hols, you'd have some explaining to do, Pads!"

Ginny lets herself be held, her eyes drifting closed at the comfort his arms around her bring. She holds him just as tight in return, breathing in his scent and shaking with relief. "I'm sorry," he whispers as his arms tighten convulsively around her. "I am so sorry for everything."

"Me too," she whispers back, "I want to tell you everything."


	13. The Truth Shall Set You Free

Part One – Ron's Gauntlet

Thank you for your patience while I live a very busy life. If you'd like to leave a thought or two, I'd really appreciate it!

Disclaimer: I own (in no particular order): a car, a laptop, a corgi, thirty-three bottles of perfume, a guitar, a place in the hearts of many, but not these characters.

**Chapter Thirteen – **_**The Truth Shall Set You Free**_

"Me too," she whispers back, running her fingers through her now shoulder-length hair. "I want to tell you everything."

If anything, he just hugs her tighter upon hearing that. Without another word, he releases his hold on her only to take her hand and tug her back out of the portrait hold. Ignoring the disgruntled Fat Lady, Ginny slows down. "Slow down," she cautions him, muffling a shriek when he picks her up. "What are you doing?"

"Carrying you," he answers needlessly, grinning widely at her. "I forgot about your injuries for a second. Wasn't thinking properly, or I wouldn't have dragged you along like that. Sorry."

"Okay, set me down," she orders, backing against the wall when he complies. "I'm fine, Siri. I swear, completely and totally healed. I only wanted to slow down because McGonagall walked me back to the Tower. Wouldn't do to run into her now, would it?"

He exhales in relief when she pushes away from the wall, leaning into him to rest her forehead on his chest. She lets her hands rub over his sides gently, and he grins when they find their way inside his robes. "Love, as much as disrobing here seems like a bloody fun idea, I think we should keep going. I have about two million apologies for you, and I'd like to make it through at least half of them today."

She pulls away enough to look up at him. "I'm the one who should be apologizing, but I'm afraid that'll be overshadowed by what I have to tell you."

He cups her face in his hands, giving her an earnest smile. "Ah love, I'm so bloody sorry I acted like that. You do _not_ have to tell me anything," he assures her, one hand drifting up to run through her hair. "I'm just sorry I acted like such a berk about it. A childish berk at that." He grins when she turns her face in his hands to kiss his palm. "I – I don't even want to know anymore, so you don't need to feel obligated to tell me anything."

"Good thing I just want you to know then," Ginny smiles, stepping back and taking his hand again. "Not just that, but I _need_ you to know. After yesterday morning, I talked to McGonagall and she made me realize that I was doing both of us a huge disservice by not being honest with you about everything."

"Okay," he grins, seeming to relax a bit. "That is good because I have to admit, I am still curious."

Ginny laughs at that, and he tugs on her hand again and they walk that way together to the Room of Requirement. He takes the lead, pacing in front of the stone wall with his eyes closed. When the door appears, he grins triumphantly. She smiles at his enthusiasm, pulling him into an impulsive hug before he can drag her into the room with him.

To her surprise, it isn't quite the bordello she worried he might choose. Instead, it looks much like the suites that she remembers from Grimmauld Place, only decorated in beautiful Gryffindor red and gold. She can tell that he wants her to like what he has asked for, so she beams her approval at him.

In addition to the large bed that dominates one section of the room, there is a small loveseat perched in front of the fireplace. Behind that, there is a table covered in some of Ginny's favorite foods. She notices that he's frowning as he inspects the room. "What's wrong, Sirius?"

"I wanted chairs, too, in case you'd be more comfortable in one while we talk. I guess this works, though."

"Works perfect," she agrees happily, sampling some of the goodies greedily, realizing with a start that she hadn't eaten since their midnight foray to the kitchens. That seemed like forever ago, suddenly.

After they each eat their fill, she lets him take control and lead her over to the small sofa. "Can I go first?" he asks quietly, sitting next to her and smiling when she drapes her legs across his lap.

She nods, settling down into the cushy couch. "Yes, of course, if that's what you want." She fidgets a little, suddenly terrified that he'll go first and say wonderful things only to take them back when he hears all of her truths. A part of her wants to insist on going first, but she can't bring herself to ask him for that favor.

"I am not a good guy," he starts, holding up a hand to forestall the immediate rejoinder that springs to her lips. "Okay, this will work better if you don't interrupt." Taking a deep breath, she gives him a reluctant nod. "I'm not," he starts again. "I'm not nice to people, I'm rarely polite, and I'm as selfish as can be. And those are just the good things.

"The thing is, I think that you make me better. No, maybe that's not fair. You make me _want_ to be better, and that is really something. It – it's something I've never had or felt before. And I – oh, Merlin, I have a dark side. You saw that yesterday, and maybe a few other times. It's just…with my family, it is a slippery slope down to the dark side, you know?"

She wants to interrupt, to tell him that he's crazy and discount all of these ridiculous notions, but she knows he wants to get this out. Maybe it is even something he needs, so she lets him take despite how painful it is to hear him so low and bitterly of himself. She will correct him later, when it is her turn to speak.

He goes on, looking mildly worried as his hands play restlessly over her legs. "I love you, Gin. That is something so amazing and unexpected that sometimes I can't even believe it happened. Then I see you, and you smile at me or touch me, and it's real, and I wouldn't have it any other way."

To her surprise, he reaches into the pockets of his robe, pulling out a tiny jeweler's box. "I – I had this whole speech planned out. It was funny and romantic, if you can believe that. And – and after you got hurt, I was going to wait until I'd apologized not only for being a berk and an idiot, but for being a coward, too. If I'd just come back to the common room and not stayed away, you'd never have been outside. You'd have been safe, rather than looking for me."

"I know you don't want me to interrupt," she says, doing just that. "But that is just not fair at all. I – I was just out for a walk. I didn't figure you'd be outside. After I got bored and frustrated with walking around the inside of the castle, I figured I'd go outside for some fresh air. It was stupid of me to go alone, and it wasn't your fault at all."

"Thanks for that," he smiles, leaning to his side to kiss her cheek. "So – well, it pains me still, and I know you wouldn't have had a reason to be out there, so let me feel a little guilty, okay?" She eyes him skeptically, rolling her eyes when she sees he isn't going to budge. She finally harrumphs her displeasure, shrugging. "This isn't how I pictured this," Sirius laughs nervously, prompting Ginny's gaze to revert back to the little jeweler's box warily.

Fidgeting nervously, he hands the little black box with the silver satin trim to her. "I – this is your Christmas present from me."

She takes it, looking up at him questioningly. His obvious nervousness feeds her own, and when he motions for her to open it, she does so with fumbling fingers. She slips the bow off, just holding the box in the palm of her for a long moment before prying it open. Inside is a delicate gold ring with the largest jewel – a ruby – she has ever seen. "It's beautiful," she whispers, glancing between the ring and his face, staring adoringly at both.

"You like it?" he asks anxiously, gratified when she beams at him, her eyes filling with tears. "It's Muggle," he explains. "See, they have this custom that Lily told me about. Actually, I think she was hinting at James, but I took it to heart." Ginny smiles at that. "Right, then. When Muggles, usually ones around our age, are in love with someone, but unable to make it permanent, a boy would give his girl a ring as a promise of what is to come. Since we aren't Muggles, I charmed the ring with a bonding spell. Not like an unbreakable vow spell, like at weddings, but something that would still signify my promises to you."

"It's so lovely," she smiles sadly, her throat closing up at the realization she cannot accept this ring. "Sirius, I – I have to tell you things, and if you still want me to wear your ring after you hear them, then I'd be honored and so proud to do so. But it wouldn't be right for me to accept it and let you make those promises before you know everything."

"What you have to say does not matter to me," he swears to her with his most charming smile. "Ginny, I love you, and I was damned close to buying a Wizard engagement ring with all the charms and enchantments on it until Lily told us about this and suggested I not scare you off like that. There is – I want you forever, Gin. Unless you decide that you hate me, nothing will change that, I promise. Put the ring on."

She slips it out of the box, her fingers clenching around it as it lands in her palm. "I can't yet," she tells him. "Not until you know everything. You deserve the truth."

He doesn't care; he honestly could not care less about what she has to say. After seeing her bruised and bloodied body, he knew immediately that he didn't want to live without her, even if it meant dealing with all of her secrets and lies. She wasn't going to let it go, though, so despite his instincts advising him otherwise, he nods his agreement. "Okay, yeah. You can tell me first, and then _I'll _slip that ring onto your finger myself."

Ginny gives him a watery smile at that. "I hope – well, anyway. Okay, I'll just jump in with both feet, okay? The reason I lied about everything, my name, what happened to bring me here, was mostly for safety reasons. My safety, and everyone else's, too. The only person right now, aside from me, who knows the full story, is Professor McGonagall, and I only told her when she confronted me, and well – she's the one who sent me here."

"She sent you here, but she had to confront you about it?" he says slowly, shaking his head. His mind is working furiously over that little bit of information, a sense of realization spreading slowly through him. He stares at her in fascination, waiting for her to continue.

She takes a deep breath, closing her eyes briefly. As she opens them, she squeezes the ring tight, grateful for the strength it seems to give her as it warms in her palm. "She sent me here…from the future." Fear squeezes at both their hearts, albeit for entirely different reasons. "My name is Ginevra Molly Weasley. I was born August 11, 1981, and sent here under the authority and advice of McGonagall on August 28, 1998. She sent me back to, in her words, 'make things better'.

"Since then, I've done just about everything wrong. I – I fell in love, became extremely attached to all of you, and I've now told two people the truth even though I was told that I shouldn't say anything. Even though I promised that I wouldn't." She breaks off, looking at him and waiting expectantly for his reaction. "I know, it sounds crazy, but Siri, I am telling the truth, I swear!"

"You're from 1998, so technically, you haven't been born yet." She nods her head, swallowing painfully against the lump in her throat. "This – this is a lot to take in, you know? I figured you were on the run from someone, Death Eaters maybe. This is a little more…well, it isn't what I expected, I guess." He stares at her, dread slipping through him with all the subtlety of a freight train. Ignoring the burning question on the tip of his tongue, he manages to a wry smile. "What were you supposed to make better?"

She sighs, rolling her eyes. "I don't know. McGonagall was frustratingly vague, but she warned me it might be small things. She said it might be as simple as bringing light and happiness to people who desperately needed it. She meant herself, for one. I think she also meant…"

He nods, knowing what she is alluding to. "Me. She meant me." He looks at her closely. "Did you – do you know us, in the future, I mean? Do you know what happens to all of us?"

This is exactly what she doesn't want to get into, what she doesn't know how to explain. She had hoped, knowing full well it was in vain, that he would let her slide on this one. "Yes, I do," she answers heavily. "I know what happens to all of you, I know what becomes of Voldemort, and I – I want to change it."

"It's bad then," he states rather than asks, almost as if he expected it. And she thinks on some level that he would, at least for himself. He takes her hand in his when she nods, swallowing convulsively. "Hey, Gin. It's okay. Everything will be okay, I swear."

She laughs dryly at that, shaking her head. "It's not okay, not in the slightest. Everything gets so messed up, Sirius," she chokes out, "And there is too much I don't know, so I probably can't help at all. McGonagall thinks we can, but…if Dumbledore can't do it in the future, what makes her think that she and I can do it now?"

He turns her hand over, pulling her fingers open to reveal the ring. He takes it from her, hiding his smile when her fingers twitch as if to make a grab for it. "She thinks _we_ – yes, me too – can do it because it is obviously hugely important that we do." He picks up her left hand, placing the ring at the tip of her ring finger. "I don't care where or when you're from or what your last name is – I want you to be mine always."

"What if we don't have always?" she chokes out, bringing both of their greatest fear to light. "What if I have to go back? What then, Siri? I can't do that to you!"

"Maybe then I'll go with you," he counters, "Or maybe you'll find me again and I'll be the ugly, old bloke with a gorgeous young girl on my arm."

She pulls her hand away, shaking her head. "That's just a fairy tale, and I don't believe in those anymore. It'd be nice, if I could, but part of that isn't…"

He grabs her hand back, wagging the ring in her face. "Frankly, I don't care. Even if I only have one day with you here wearing it, then that's more than I deserve. At least I'll have that. I want to pledge my life to you, Ginevra, because I love you. I want you to be mine and I yours in all the ways our ancestors have pledged themselves for thousands of years."

Rendered speechless, Ginny can only nod and hold her hand out, beaming as he reverently slips the ring on her finger. She watches in awe as the magic he gave the ring wraps around them both, binding them together. She reaches up with her free hand, brushing her fingers through his just too long hair as he kisses her finger just below the ring.

"That was amazing," she whispers, it being her turn to be reverent. "What charms are on here?"

"Amorende veritas," he says blushing slightly as she mentally translate the rough Latin. "I found it in a book at my mother's house. It was in a book a of love spells, so I know what you're probably thinking, but a lot of those spells, when cast on two people who already love each other, serve to bind the pair even closer together in some showing of commitment. They don't change feelings or make them stronger or anything like that. I wouldn't do that to you."

She nods absently, vaguely remembering Flitwick saying something like that, probably during a Valentine's Day lesson. "It is so beautiful," she asserts. "Thank you. Not just for the ring, but for…not hating me, for listening. For letting me drag you into this mess that is my life right now, and believe me, it is a mess. I – I think that McGonagall is going to try and stop Voldemort, and I'm going to help her."

He stares at her, wanting to protest on behalf of her safety. Ultimately, he knows it wouldn't do him any good, so he bites his tongue. "Alright," he nods, albeit reluctantly. "Then I'm in, too. I'm sure James and Remus will be, too, and probably even Lily will want to fight, too. I don't know about Peter, but – "

"No!" Ginny exclaims, jumping up. "The others are debatable, but Pettigrew will never, _ever_ know a scrap of this! I will take any and all measures necessary to insure things stay that way. That traitorous rat will never know where I am from or what we're trying to do!"

"I – okay," Sirius says quietly, his confusion evident. "Does he – what does he do, Gin?"

She sits back down, sighing in relief when he pulls her into his arms. How can he just believe her so easily? She probably will never understand that, but she'll take it nevertheless. "He betrays all of us, Siri. When Voldemort sets his sights on Lily and James because of a stupid bloody prophecy, he acts as their secret keeper. And he gives their location to Voldemort. He leads him right to them."

Sirius gapes at her, unable to wrap his mind around the thought of Peter going out and betraying them, at least on purpose. On accident, sure, Sirius could see that happening, but Peter seeking out a dark lord for any reason? Virtually inconceivable. "He gives their location away?"

Ginny nods, looking over at the fire roaring away. "It gets worse, though. Voldemort kills them, but before she dies, Lily places ancient blood protection magic on their son. When Voldemort fires the Killing Curse at the baby, it rebounds, the baby survives, and Voldemort is presumed gone. When you try to take Pettigrew into custody, he manages to frame you not only for betraying Lily and James as you were supposed to be the secret keeper, but for the deaths of a dozen Muggles that he blew up.

"You spend almost twelve years in Azkaban for crimes that were really committed by Peter Pettigrew."

Sirius shakes his head. There is _no_ way that could happen. It wasn't possible, life could never be that cruel. Azkaban? After his father had managed to avoid Azkaban despite his many dark dealings! And twelve years? Twelve years! How could that happen? Where was Remus? James – oh, James would be dead, then. And the world would think him responsible. Realizing that Ginny was holding him tightly and regarding him closely for his reaction, he manages to focus on her again.

"Remus believed me guilty, then."

She nods reluctantly. "Everyone did. You weren't even given a trial; they just threw you in Azkaban until you escaped twelve years later to protect your godson."

He stares at her with glassy eyes. "James and Lily's baby?" She nods. "What does he need saving from? And how do I escape Azkaban? No one has ever escaped!"

"Your animagus form allows you to escape, not to mention stay sane despite the dementors. As you know, most aren't that lucky. And you were saving him from Pettigrew. He'd been presumed dead in the explosion he'd caused, but you were given a newspaper by chance one day, and he was in there in his rat form. You recognized him right away."

"My word," he breathes, trying hard to digest all this information. "I suppose I get out and prove my innocence right off, then." Her answering smile is so sad there is no doubt what happens.

Ginny sighs. "There isn't much that goes the right way," she sighs again. "Lily and James's son was part of a prophecy involving Voldemort. That's why Voldemort was after the Potters; to get to the baby. Once that baby, however inadvertently, defeated Voldemort, he became known as The Boy Who Lived."

Sirius shakes his head. "Remus raised him then? That was probably good, especially for Rem. He'd need someone to get him through it."

"He didn't get the baby, Sirius," she corrects him quietly. "Dumbledore placed him with Lily's sister because of the protection of Lily's blood magic. I think Dumbledore always suspected that Voldemort wasn't dead before anyone ever knew for sure."

"I feel like I'm being told a creepy bedtime story," Sirius comments dryly.

Ginny nods absently. "The Muggles treated him terribly, you know. I know how important the blood protection was, but I never really thought it was worth it, knowing how they treated him. They were just abysmal, awful."

Sirius shakes his head, wondering how everything could go to hell so fast. "Do I save him? When I break out of Azkaban, do I at least save him?"

She leans back, beaming at him. "The way I heard it, you were marvelous, Sirius. And the boy loved you, immediately. I think you were the first person that he ever truly loved, Sir. He wanted to live with you and was so thrilled when you invited him, but Pettigrew escaped again. I think that was hard on both of you, not just him. You stayed in contact with him, and helped him through the next year."

"And then?"

"Then you see him again," she relates, remembering that summer and how kind and attentive Sirius had been to her, always seeking out her company, even after Harry had arrived. "That was when I met you for the first time." His eyes widen in surprise. "Yeah, I knew you and Remus. He really did teach here one year. Defense, actually. Best we ever had." Sirius grins at that. "But Voldemort was back, with the help of Pettigrew, and that's when things got…worse."

"How?"

She takes a deep breath. "What we knew then was just that he had returned, not how he'd evaded death. But that year, Harry had been chosen to compete in the Tri-Wizard cup due to a former Death Eater scheming against him. He and one other boy, one of age – Harry was just fifteen then – were the Hogwarts representatives. They finished the final task, and agreed to take the Cup together. But it was a portkey, and it took them to a cemetery. Peter k-killed the other boy, and used Harry's blood to resurrect Voldemort."

He catches the boy's name immediately, recognizing it for her former boyfriend. But he lets that go for now, focusing on the story she is sharing. As she goes on, he shifts until they are lying side by side.

"An eventful life," he comments.

"Mmhmm," she agrees, fitting her tiny body into his. "Harry never had it easy. His fifth year was another nightmare. No one would tell him what was going on with Voldemort's return in fear his curse scar would enable Voldemort to monitor his thoughts. His first girlfriend only wanted to cry for the loss of her boyfriend, the boy Pettigrew killed. Snape was supposed to teach him Occlumency, but that was a nightmare from the start.

"A nasty, evil bint was teaching defense and taking over the school, punishing Harry for telling the truth. The Ministry, by the way, was denying Voldemort's return and portraying Harry as a liar and Dumbledore as a lunatic. And then there was the fiasco at the Department of Mysteries."

The tears in her eyes as she stares at him unnerve him. "What happened?" he asks hollowly, somehow knowing this won't be easy to hear.

She leans forward, pressing a kiss to his chin. "Harry kept getting visions from Voldemort. One enabled him to save my father's life, actually. When Voldemort realized what was happening, he fed Harry a false vision. About you."

"Oh."

"Yeah," Ginny sighs, her mind wandering automatically back to that horrible time. "It was of you being held in the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry of Magic. Of course, Harry went insane, wanted to get to you right away. His friends tried to talk him out of it, but eventually six of us left school on the thestrals, of all things, and flew to London."

Sirius gapes at her, nodding dumbly to encourage her to continue.

She snuggles against him, reveling in the warmth of him, breathing in his scent. "It was a set up, of course. Bloody wonder we weren't massacred, six stupid fourth and fifth years. Turns out Voldemort and some of his more loyal Death Eaters had spent the year trying to retrieve the prophecy made about him and Harry. It got smashed in the battle, which enraged Voldemort. He possessed Harry, daring Dumbledore to kill him. There were – there were so many injuries, and – and…"

"Was I there?"

"Yes," is her flat answer, said as if allowing herself any emotion would be too painful. "You died. You were dueling your cousin Bellatrix, and you fell through this veil that was kept down there."

"The Veil of Shadows?" he asks, visibly shaken. "G – Gin, that's – my father had that! It was one of the things he would threaten us with! It might still be in mother's house, actually."

She pales at the notion, shuddering when he starts laughing maniacally. "Sirius Black, I hardly think this is a laughing matter!"

He nods, his laughter dying in the face of her anger and upset. "I'm sorry, Gin. Just getting a bit of amusement over the irony of it all."

"It's not funny!" she mutters tightly. "I was there, you know. I was there and you died and I didn't even know that you were my everything! How could I not know that?"

"Oh, love, you were what, fifteen?"

"Fourteen."

Sirius smiles at her, kissing the tip of her nose. "You were fourteen. I was an old man, I guess. It wasn't your duty to save me or anyone else."

She leans up on one elbow. "Maybe not then, but it is now. I will not let that happen again, just the thought of losing you….I can't. I couldn't stand it. I suppose that sounds sappy, but I couldn't. No, I _won't_ do it!"

"This Harry, this so called Boy Who Lived, he was _your_ Harry, wasn't he?" Reluctantly, she nods. "Yeah, that's what I figured. Well, okay then."

"What I had with him and what I have with you are two very different things, Sirius. You have to know that there is no comparison."

He nods, not looking entirely convinced. "If he'd asked you to wear his ring, what would you have said?"

She stares back unblinkingly. "Honestly?" He nods tersely. "If Harry had asked me to wear his ring, yes, I probably would have. But that doesn't mean it would've been right. It would've meant that I was fifteen and silly and eventually I would have realized what a real relationship is based on, all the passion and love and trust and respect. God, I love that you respect and trust me enough to let me take care of myself! It just…I would've done it, yes, but I would've grown to regret, and most likely, resent it."

"Sorry," he mutters sheepishly, somewhat appeased by her answer. "I shouldn't be such a berk about it and ask questions like that." Pulling her closer, he kisses the corner of her mouth. Pulling back before she can deepen it, he asks, "Tell me the rest?"

She nods, closing her eyes at the thought of her fifth year. "The next year, Harry and Dumbledore had a lot of private meetings. At the end of the year, Dumbledore was killed by none other than Severus Snape. As though you needed additional incentive to hate him, right?" Sirius's jaw drops open at that revelation. "Harry and I were finished after that. It was hard at the time, and for a bit after that, but I know it was for the best. You are everything to me," she finishes simply.

He tightens his arms around her, needing her warmth to ward off the chill of this dark future. "What about Remus? What happens to him?"

Ginny giggles at that. "Oh, well, I guess it isn't really funny. I always got the feeling that Professor Lupin was very sad, and well, it's rather obvious why, is it not? Anyway, he taught here for a year, I don't know much about what he did before that."

"Wasn't as good as you said then, only lasting a year?"

"No Defense teachers do," she shrugs. "Voldemort's curse, apparently. I heard Harry telling my brother Ron and their friend Hermione about that. But Remus was – is a wonderful teacher. He taught Harry the Patronus charm as a third year."

Sirius gives a half-hearted smile at that. "Yeah, I can believe that. He – what else happens to him? I don't think that could possibly be it for him, right? Plus, you giggled when I asked. Couldn't be all bad, then."

Ginny grins at that. "Yes, well, Remus falls madly in love with a wonderful woman. She's an auror, rather like a big sister to me. And of all things, a metamorphmagus. Her name is Nymphadora Tonks."

"Tonks," he repeats, his eyes growing wide. "My cousin Andie married a Muggle named Tonks! They – he falls in love with my cousin? She's what, four now?"

"Well, she won't be four forever!" Ginny laughs. "But if it makes you feel better, it takes her a very long time to convince him that he's worthy of her. And then they got married."

He grins. "Good for him, pulling in the woman thirteen years younger than him!" he smiles, not letting himself think of how much older he was than Ginny, at least technically.

Ginny rolls her eyes, sighing. "Well, I guess you can see why I want to change things. It's even more than that, though. I _need_ to change these things. I – I cannot go back and live with myself knowing that I didn't do everything in my power to fix things, to save everyone. To save you."

To both of their surprise, he starts laughing. When she stares at him, he just grins. "I was just picturing myself as the handsome, debonair older man that you used to know." He shakes his head. "Must've sucked for me, huh? Knowing you, but you not knowing me."

"For the record, you were rather far from debonair. I think Azkaban and a life on the run have a way of doing that to a man." She gives him a small smile. "I don't know how you felt about knowing me. But I thought you were wonderful, funny, and exciting. Even I could tell that you weren't – " She breaks off, shifting uncomfortably. "Anyway, it won't happen again like that. I won't let it."

"What are we going to do to stop all this?"

She gives him a grim smile in lieu of an immediate answer. "Luckily, McGonagall figured out what will probably be key to defeating Voldemort."

Sirius listens quietly as she relates all the things she had discussed earlier with McGonagall about the horcruxes, the way they are created. He knows that now is definitely not the time to interrupt, even though his mind is swirling with a million questions. Not only are these strange – and frightening – horcruxes at the front of his mind, he also wants to know more about the future. How could things go so wrong? How could he and his friends be so wrong about Peter, one of their own?

He doesn't even realize she has stopped talking, so engrossed in his thoughts he has become, until she reaches out, brushing the backs of her fingers over his cheeks. "It's a lot to take in, isn't it?"

"Just a bit," he notes dryly, smiling when she twists around, moving to lie back against him. To his delight, she links their left hands together, holding them up so she can admire her ring. "You like it then?"

"Just a bit," she teases, throwing back his words, tilting her face to smile up at him. "Oh, honestly, did you ever doubt it? I absolutely adore it, Siri, and you, and I love what it represents for us."

Squeezing her hand, he nods, mentally gloating at the Harry of her stories. "And you're okay with it? How serious it is, I mean? Lily said I was moving too fast, that I might push you too hard and end up pushing you away. That's the last thing I want."

"Lily isn't always right," she notes, squeezing his hand, "And she's so very wrong in this case. I – to be honest, I don't know how things happened so fast between us, but…it doesn't feel wrong. I'm not afraid of this, and I'm not going to run from it." She twists around again so she is facing him. "I'm worried, of course. Terrified really, that this time travel spell will wear off or go wrong and suck me back to my time, and I'll lose you. But like you said – and I hope you still feel this way – I just want to live the most I can with you while I have you. I'm going to take what I can get."

"Well, that's a good start, but I do want more," he says seriously. "It wasn't a joke. This was almost a wizard engagement ring. I don't want to lose you, and I'm going to do everything I can to keep you with me."

She leans forward, nuzzling her face into his neck. "We will," she agrees. "I want to keep you, too."

He loosens his hold on her, his hands caressing her bum through the wool of her skirt. "You – what about your family, and friends?"

Ginny sighs, her hands toying with the hair that falls against his nape. "I miss them," she answers honestly. "I really miss all of them a lot. I rather suppose I always will, but that takes absolutely _nothing_ away from what I have here with you and our friends."

"And Harry?" he asks carefully, unable to help himself. "Is he one that you miss, too?" She frowns at the question, and he groans. "No, don't. You don't have to answer that question. That's really none of my business."

"I think that there shouldn't be anything between us that is off-limits now," she quietly asserts, looking at her ring again. "So yes, I do. I miss my friend Harry, and frankly, I worry for him, too. I worry that he won't make it through this war that he's been forced to fight, and I worry that he'll lose the few people he still has left." Smiling, she stares into his eyes and he feels like she's opening her soul to _him_. "It was different, what I had with Harry, and it was quite awhile ago now."

"Different how?" he asks, his hands sliding under her skirt to smooth over the lace knickers covering her bum.

She moans deep in her throat, shifting to press herself more firmly into his hands. "Well, I'd have hit him with the bat bogey hex if he'd tried this, for one," she moans out, earning a chuckle from him. "It – it was a child's love, I suppose. After that, somewhere along the line, it became familial love. Without realizing it, he became like another brother to me."

He grins, overly pleased with that answer as his hands leave the object of their desire to begin unbuttoning her shirt. "Suppose I shouldn't be so jealous of him, but somehow, I can't help it. He's a bloody hero, right?"

"Don't be," she insists, reaching out to return the favor, divesting him of his shirt. He's wearing a t-shirt, so it just takes a quick second to pull it up and over his head. "It's only you for me."

He stifles a gasp as she lays her palms flat against his chest. When she rubs her thumbs over his flat nipples, he almost jumps out of his skin. When she leans forward, the ragged ends of her hair trailing over his bare skin in a tantalizing tease until her mouth finds his skin. "Are you trying to seduce me?" he asks as her tongue circles a nipple.

"That depends," she grins impishly at him, barely pausing in her task. "How am I doing so far?"

"Bloody perfect," he moans when she nips lightly at the sensitive skin. "Gin, ah, more. I want more." He brushes her hair over her shoulder, wanting to see her and be able to watch everything that she does to him. She kisses her way to his throat, her tongue laving over his pulse points. He pulls her tightly to him, burying his face in her hair as a wave of fear hits him again. "I thought I'd lost you last night."

"Never," she promises, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I am yours for as long as you'll have me." She can't stifle the yawn that springs to her lips. "Mmm, sorry, I guess I'm still a bit wrung out from last night, I guess."

He shifts her off his lap so he can stand up. He then pulls her to her feet, guiding her over to the bed. "Get in. You and I are going to take a nap."

She smiles sleepily at him as he pulls the covers back. She really is tired, so she gladly climbs onto the bed, pulling the covers aside for him to join her. "Thank you," she murmurs when he climbs in next to her, "For letting me tell you my crazy story. Thank you for believing me when you had every reason to call St. Mungos." Her voice drops to a bare whisper. "Thank you for loving me."

If there was one thing Sirius Black figured that he never needed to be thanked for, it was that. Loving her was like breathing for him now, and he was going to do it regardless. It was personal and…and…integral to the man she was helping him to become. So no, he didn't need her thanks for that. But he smiles, and nods at her. "I love you, Gin, and I'd do anything for you."

"Likewise," she murmurs, burrowing into his side as she drifts off to sleep.

Sighing, he tightens his arms around her, wondering just how far they'll be forced to go for 'anything' in the coming months and hopefully years. Anything less than years with her would probably destroy him. A lot had changed this morning, and he had been given a lot of information that he didn't know what to do with. He was worried and frustrated and a little scared.

But still, he was somehow managing to be bloody happier than he ever had been before, so that had damn well better count for something. Right?

Ginevra is wearing his ring, his _promises_, and she's entrusted him with all of her truths, as weird as they might be.

And she was wearing his ring.

"Well, I don't know about the rest of you, but I am bloody starving," James complains as all of his friends roll their eyes at him. "I'm wasting away here!"

"That is nothing new," Lily sighs, shaking her head at him. "You'd likely eat until you explode, if possible. And they serve plenty of meals. Just because you napped through two of them, that doesn't mean they didn't take place."

To Ginny's relief, everything felt as it should. When she and Sirius had awakened from their nap a couple of hours earlier, she'd asked him what he thought they should tell their friends. Ultimately, she left it up to him because he knew them better, and knew what to expect in the way of reaction. After weighing various pros and cons, they decided to mix some truths in with a lot of fabrications because Sirius wasn't sure how they'd react.

They told them that Ginny's last name was Weasley, but she was going by Watson for her safety. They kept things as vague as possible, saying it was a very distant relation to the Weasleys of Ottery St. Catchpole, and they wouldn't even know her anyhow. As for the danger she was in, it was explained that one of her brothers married a Veela, who were seen as half-breeds or animals by Voldemort and his followers. To elaborate, they said that the Veela wife had been killed, and that an angry Death Eater was after the rest of her brother's family, her included.

Okay, it wasn't the best story ever, but it seemed to work. And at least there were elements of the truth in it. Somehow, that seemed to make it a little easier on her.

James and Lily are still bickering good-naturedly as they all enter the Hall together. Sirius and Remus are talking about quidditch tryouts for the National team, but Ginny smiles when Sirius keeps a tight hold on her hand. He is as fretful over her missing wand as she is, and he'd made it clear that he was going to keep an eye or two on her at all times until she's armed again.

The normal tables are still missing as staff and students prepare to again eat together. Students from other houses greet Ginny, wishing her well and expressing their relief that she is okay. She thanks them all, but her friends are a little less trustful, eyeing everyone warily. Ginny just couldn't believe that any of her fellow students sitting in the room now would ever want to hurt her.

The teachers are equally solicitous of her, and she laughingly informs everyone that she feels great. Nonetheless, by unspoken agreement, Sirius and James sit guard on either side of her. She just rolls her eyes, trying to ignore the worry that she feels is unfounded. Eventually, everyone relaxes and dinner becomes the more fun affair it should've been the previous evening for Christmas dinner.

But then the evening post comes in, throwing everything into a tailspin. Sirius groans at the sight of a bright red Howler carried by his mother's black horned owl, Mephistopheles. But it is to everyone's astonishment when a non-descript gray barn owl drops a package next to Ginny's plate.

"It's another bloody howler," Sirius sighs, glancing quizzically at Ginny's package. Unfortunately, before he can ask about it, his howler starts shaking and muttering.

"Better just open it then," James counsels him. "You know it's worse if you wait. You know how they get."

Sirius does indeed know, having been the recipient of many since he had come to school. Ignoring everything but Ginny's comforting hand on his thigh, he reaches out and opens the quivering envelope.

"SIRIUS ORION BLACK!" his mother's voice booms loudly and distortedly. "ANOTHER YEAR IS DRAWING TO A CLOSE, AND YOU ARE STILL THE BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT A MOTHER COULD BE SADDLED WITH! DAY IN AND DAY OUT, YOUR SHORTCOMINGS AND FAILURES DO NOTHING BUT BRING SHAME UPON THE NOBLE AND ANCIENT HOUSE OF BLACK! HOW DARE YOU CONTINUE TO TARNISH OUR GOOD NAME AND SUPERIOR WAYS BY BEHAVING LIKE A COMMON HEATHEN THROUGH OUR CONTINUED ASSOCIATIONS WITH THAT FILTHY HALF-BREED AND THE MUDBLOOD BINT? AT LEAST YOUR BROTHER HAS SOME SENSE, STAYING THERE TO KEEP AN EYE ON YOU! SOMEONE NEEDS TO KEEP TRACK OF YOU AND YOUR AWFUL WAYS! IN ALL MY YEARS, I HAVE NE - "

Ginny tightens her grip on Sirius, reaching out with her free hand to pluck his wand off the table, inwardly irritated that it isn't hers as she waves it at the howler. "Silencio!"

Everyone gawps at her while most of the professors look on with amusement. "What?" she shrugs. "Your mother is rather irritating."

"You can't silence a howler!" James protests. "Nothing works on them!"

"Honestly, James, read a book once in awhile," Lily sighs, shaking her head.

Ginny smiles at that. "I have six older brothers, remember? Two of them went out of their way to make mischief, and they received earfuls for it every time. You can't receive as many howlers as they did and not figure out ways to dispose of them. Silencio has always worked best, but the boys enjoyed some of the messier ones, like the bludgeoning spells."

Dumbledore clears his throat gently. "I believe I can offer an explanation as to why we believe the howlers to be indestructible." All the students look at him expectantly. "As we grow up believing it as truth, it is too ingrained to question as adults. Your brothers must be very interesting indeed, Miss Watson."

Sirius, however, hasn't heard anything since Ginny shut the howler up. Slamming his hands down on the table, he glares at the teachers, earning questioning looks from his friends. "My brother is here? He's been here this whole time? Well, there's your culprit! He's the one who attacked Gin!"

"Padfoot," Remus hisses at him, elbowing him sharply in an attempt to reign Sirius in. "Just being here doesn't make him guilty. You don't know he did anything."

"Mr. Lupin is right, of course," Dumbledore interjects. "Mr. Black, we have of course looked into the whereabouts of everyone in the castle around the time of the attack; I do not believe your brother had any kind of hand in it. We do not take this lightly, I promise."

Sirius starts to calm down a little, but that is more from the benefit of Ginny's presence than anything Dumbledore has to say. "What was his alibi?" he asks tensely, the assertions of Dumbledore doing nothing to alleviate his concerns.

McGonagall cocks an eyebrow at him, shaking his head slightly. "Mr. Black, that is really none of your concern. Why don't we all settle down and partake of the feast now."

"Ah, an excellent idea," Dumbledore agrees, his eyes twinkling merrily.

Sirius rolls his eyes, but gives up under the knowledge that that he wouldn't get anything more out of this crown anyway. Trying to restore something of his good mood, he turns to smile at Ginny, his eyes falling on her package. She looks at it, too, then back up at him, shrugging.

As everyone else goes back to eating, he asks, "Are you going to open it?"

She shrugs, eyeing it warily. "I don't know. There's no one out there who should be sending me things, Sirius. It's just…disconcerting, I guess."

"Yeah," he agrees, an uneasy feeling of his own beginning to separate from the anger and resentment he was feeling for his mother and brother just a few minutes ago. "Well, it shouldn't be dangerous, at least. They are pretty good about screening the mail here."

"I know," she nods, taking a shaky breath. "I'm just being silly. It's just….I'm not close enough to any else here to be receiving gifts from them."

"Open," he encourages her, even though he's not sure it is the right thing to do. He just knows it will bother her, and to be perfectly frank him, more if it just sits there, unopened.

She nods, hesitantly tugging at the plain brown twine that is wrapped around the plain brown paper. Once the twine and the paper is gone, she pulls the lid off, cautiously peeking inside. To his horror, she pales immediately, shoving the box away from her, letting out a low moan. Once again, conversation around them dies and they become the centerpiece of the meal.

He grabs the box, looking into for himself. Upon seeing its contents, he growls angrily, moving to stand up. He is practically shaking with rage as he stomps around the table, giving it to McGonagall. In a low voice, he states, "Perhaps it is not couth to think a fellow student capable of hurting Ginevra, but I know what my brother is capable of, and this falls into that category. I am also aware of the family modus operandi, and what do you know, this fits! This just reeks of Black!"

Gingerly, McGonagall takes the box, glancing inside. Shaking her head, she passes it to Dumbledore as her sharp gaze flits over to Ginny. "Ginevra," she sighs, standing up, "Why don't we take a walk?"

"Erm, but – there's – and – " Ginny stammers out, swaying a tiny bit on her feet, enough to get Remus standing to make sure she won't fall over. "I don't think I want to walk."

"Miss Watson," Dumbledore cuts in, and it ends up being his kindly eyes that do her in rather than Sirius's anger on her behalf or McGonagall's almost motherly concern. "Would you like to come up to my office with me for a moment? Perhaps Mr. Black, you'd be so inclined as to join us?"

Sirius is about to refuse so that he can angrily storm the dungeons in an effort to find and maim his despicable blast-ended skrewt of a brother, but one look at Ginny, and he's caving. "Of course," he sighs, nodding to Dumbledore as he gives Ginny a small smile, thrilled and so damned proud when she manages one in return.

Dumbledore smiles at them all. "Ah, Minerva, I know you'll want to visit with us as well." He nods at the rest of the table, saying with a touch of regret. "Do enjoy your meal. I was informed that tonight's pudding might be the best of the year."

Lily, James, and Remus all watch with open mouths as their friends follow the two professors out of the Great Hall. Dumbledore leads the way, carrying the box and conversing with McGonagall in hushed tones. For their part, Ginny and Sirius don't pay them much heed.

"It might not have been Regulus," she says softly, leaning her shoulder into him. "It could've been anyone, Siri."

"Not just anyone would do that, though," he points out. "I just – Gin, I have such a bad feeling about this. M-my father would do something like this, and if he could, whose to say that Regulus wouldn't do the same? That he didn't learn it from our father?"

They get to the gargoyles guarding the entrance to the stairs that lead up to Dumbledore's office, and he gives the password (ice mice), and they all file in. Rather than taking the seat behind his desk, he conjures arm chairs for himself and McGonagall and a small couch for Ginny and Sirius.

"Miss Watson, are you alright? That was a terribly disturbing package to receive. I can only imagine that it has shaken you a bit. Let me assure you that we are going to find the person responsible for this," Dumbledore assures her, smiling kindly.

"And punish them accordingly?" Sirius sneers, grabbing the box and dumping the contents on the conjured table in front of them. "My brother is perfectly capable of all this, I hope you know! It would take a mean, sadistic bastard to do these things, and someone who grew up believing and following the things my father preached would fit right in with that perfectly. It would be just like him to attack a girl and then send her broken wand and the hair he cut off by evening post!"

Ginny doesn't say anything, just grabs at Sirius's hand as she stares at the broken pieces of her wand that are tied together with the long strands of her hair. She feels empty, hollow almost, at seeing her wand broken. It has been such an extension of her for so long that she isn't quite sure if it is appropriate, but she does feel almost as though she is mourning something.

"I don't want to look at that," she whispers. "Please take it away, I cannot look at that any longer."

With a stricken look, Sirius jumps forward to shove the hair and wand pieces back into the box. Dumbledore stops him, whipping out his wand and banishing the hair and wand to the box, and then banishing the box somewhere out of sight.

McGonagall clears her throat, gazing sternly at Sirius. "Mr. Black, I do not know if you are confusing your brother with your father, but there is no evidence that your brother – or mother, for that matter – had any sort of hand in the attack on Miss Watson. If you would see reason here, perhaps you could calm down some."

"Well, what are you doing to prevent him from hurting her? Come on now! I'm not stupid; I know what my brother is capable of, and this is something he could – _would_ – do!"

"Mr. Black!" Dumbledore interrupts calmly, effectively shutting Sirius up. "Thank you. Now, Miss Watson, are you sure that you heard nothing? Saw no one? Unfortunately, we have so little to go on. I rather suspect your attacker was on a broom for lack of any footsteps in the area since I do not think you were out there long enough for the snow to cover them completely."

Ginny sighs, "I didn't notice anything. It's rather embarrassing, but I wasn't paying attention, and I was caught completely unawares. I'm sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry for, of course," Dumbledore assures her. "You should be able to take a walk without fear of attack. Everyone should. Now, can you think of anyone who dislikes you enough to do this?"

"Well…the only people I've upset are…well, one of them was Regulus. He'd approached me before we boarded the train, and was unpleasantly surprised to find I'd already made friends with his brother. And the other," she sighs, biting her lower lip, "Is Severus Snape. He caught me on a bad day, and I freaked out on him. Things have been unpleasant between us ever since. He's threatened me a couple of times, in stupid little ways."

Sirius's eyes bulge out at that. "Why haven't I heard anything of this?"

Ginny rolls her eyes, about to retort when McGonagall interrupts, "You can have that discussion later. Is that all, Miss Watson?"

Pouting, Ginny nods. "Well, I'm not so hated as all that! Most people seem to actually enjoy my company."

"No one thinks you are," Dumbledore smiles kindly. "Would anyone care for a lemon drop? I myself find them quite refreshing."

Oddly enough, or so it seems to Dumbledore, tears spring to Ginny's eyes at the question. She shakes her head, clasping Sirius's hand as she shifts in her seat, anxiously looking at the door.

"Well," McGonagall interrupts, "We cannot jump to any conclusions on this. If we do find that your brother, Mr. Black, had a hand in this, there will be applicable punishment meted out. But until we have adequate proof, nothing can be done."

"And what in the meantime?" Sirius asks intently, squeezing Ginny's hand tightly, his thumb brushing over their ring. "I'm not okay with nothing being done! I am _telling_ you that it is Regulus! What more do you need, for him to attack her again?"

"Miss Watson will take precautions – "

"Oh, precautions! That'll work out so well, I'm sure!" Sirius cuts in on McGonagall this time. "This is ridiculous!"

Ginny stands up, breaking through Sirius's diatribe. "What sort of precautions, Professor?" she asks quietly, looking back and forth between the two teachers, unsure if she likes where this is going.

"Nothing too drastic," Dumbledore answers knowingly. "We'd like to mostly ask that you be aware of your surroundings at all times, and if it isn't too much trouble, it would be wise to have a friend with you as often as possible."

Sirius shakes his head. "And what about Regulus? When are we going to do something about him? I'm telling you, he very well could've done this. Please don't ignore that!"

"If he is responsible, we will find out and he will be punished accordingly," Dumbledore assures him, "But you know that we have nothing aside from your assertion of his guilt that would actually indicate he is guilty. Please understand the position we are in with this."

"Really, Sirius," Ginny jumps in. "I'm fine, really. It was cruel of whoever did this to sent the wand and hair to me, but really." She shudders a little, thinking of her hair tied neatly around her wand. "But really, it's a little unimaginative, the whole thing. Someone who truly wanted to hurt me would've come up with something far more interesting, I'm sure."

Neither Sirius nor McGonagall look impressed by the silver lining she offers up, but Dumbledore smiles widely. "Indeed, Miss Watson. I have always said that if someone decides to attack me that I hope they do it in the most creative fashion possible. Life is so much more fun when it is unexpected." McGonagall and Sirius stare at him as if he were crazy, but Ginny just smiles back, understanding perfectly. "Now, if we're agreed that you will try your hardest not to fall victim to another plot as terrible banal as this one, I think the two of you are free to go. I will have food sent to the common room for you. Would it be presumptuous to send some extra for Mr. Potter?"

Ginny laughs at that, and even Sirius manages a reluctant smile. "That would probably be a good idea," Ginny grins. "And appreciated. Come on, let's go. I'm starving."

"Thank you for your time, children," McGonagall calls after them. "Ginevra, please come to my office tomorrow morning via the entrance in Gryffindor Tower. We will see about getting your new wand."

Ginny thanks her again, smiling at both Professors as she drags Sirius out of the office. McGonagall and Dumbledore watch them go. "What are the chances that Mr. Black is going to refrain from attacking the other Mr. Black?"

"Nearly nil," McGonagall sighs. "He is rather protective of Miss Watson. Although, that is probably quite an understatement."

"I also noticed the rather large ring on Miss Watson's left hand," Dumbledore nods. "I wonder where she could've found that."

"Do not pretend that you have not already supposed exactly where it came from," McGonagall rolls her eyes, "And there is no need to act as though you aren't thoroughly delighted with it either, Albus. Really."

He smiles genially at her. "Ah, Minerva. I could say the same to you. I know how much Miss Watson has come to mean to you, so it only stands to reason you would share in her happiness."

McGonagall sniffs, nodding sharply. "Well, of course," she agrees absently. "I just worry. The world seems to be getting darker, and well – I worry what will happen. Ginevra, as you know, has filled quite a gap in my life, and I have a particularly vested interest in her future."

"She is a very bright witch," Dumbledore smiles. "It is nice to get to know her. I am sure she has a very bright future ahead of her. But I suppose you are referring to the rise in Death Eater activity? That is very concerning for all of us."

Taking her opening, McGonagall nods earnestly. "What do you know of Voldemort? It seems that something must be known of him aside from his prejudices and violent proclivities."

Avoiding the question as she had expected, Dumbledore raises his eyebrows, peering over the top of his half-moon glasses. "You said his name," he notes with a blandness she is sure he does not feel. "That is not something many people do."

"I suppose not," she agrees, "But you did not answer my question."

He nods his acknowledgement as he leans back in his chair, steepling his fingers together. "I'm afraid I do not know much about – well, let me rephrase – I do not know now enough about how he became so powerful."

She recognizes that this is all she'll get from him, so she nods. "Well, if that is all, I am going to go visit the graves tonight. I'd intended to do it last night, but with the attack on Ginevra, I did not want to leave the castle."

"Of course," he says somberly. "Minerva, if you'd like company, I would like to – "

"Oh, no, Albus," she cuts him off immediately. "I need to do this myself."

"You were not the only one to love them, the only one to care," he reminds her. "That is not to take away from your pain and loss, but I cared, too."

Taking a deep breath, she nods. Of course he cares, she knows that. Always did. She saw that on the rare occasions he could be with them. She knows it hurts him deeply that he never got to know them as well as he should have, but there is nothing to be done about that now. "I know that, Albus. Perhaps next time, if you are still so inclined."

Giving her a sad smile, he sighs. "Yes, next time then. That will always be a particular inclination of mine."

"Next time them," she reiterates, nodding to emphasize the words.

"Yes, next time," Dumbledore agrees, remaining seated in the conjured arm chair as she leaves his office, his mind a busy whirl of thoughts, questions, and worries. "Why would she ask about Tom?" he murmurs to himself, "And when will she let me mourn with her?"


	14. In the Thick of Things

A/N: Apologies for the ridiculously long wait. I don't know if anyone out there is still reading, but if you are, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Also, I've done a rough edit on the first 13 chapters (no story changes, just a tiny clean up of grammar and tense), and I will be posting those as I have time. Hopefully that will help to make the story a nicer read.

**Chapter Fourteen – **_**In the Thick of Things**_

The new school term started with a bang as the morning classes each day for the first couple of weeks back were marred by the horror of a new wave of Death Eater attacks across both Muggle and Magical England. Students at each of the four tables received owls notifying them of deaths in the family, while those who were news-free tried to comfort their friends while ignoring their own fears.

"Seems to get worse out there everyday," Remus noted grimly as he flipped through the Daily Prophet. "You'd think the Ministry would have a handle on this by now!"

"Obviously, they are at a loss," Lily sighed, feeling just as frustrated as the rest of them, if not more so. Every day, she was feeling the heat of being a Muggleborn as it seemed that most attacks were made on Muggleborns.

"I think I'm going to apply for auror training," Sirius announced suddenly. "I wrote in for an application a few weeks ago, and it came yesterday."

From the way that Ginny smiled at Sirius, James realized that he must've already discussed it with her. He wasn't sure that he's all that comfortable with how close his best friend had become with this girl. Sometimes he missed being the one that Sirius would've had these discussions with; he liked Ginny a lot, as much as anyone, and while he didn't begrudge her relationship with Sirius, he still missed his friend in a way.

He looked around at his friends, marveling at how quickly things were changing. Where Ginny and Lily had become natural parts of their group, Peter was spending less and less time with the rest of them. He seemed to prefer the company of his Hufflepuff friends and some of the sixth year Gryffindors. This had been going on for awhile, but since he returned from the holiday, he'd been scarcer than ever.

Of course, a huge part of that was Ginny's inclusion into their group; she seemed to immediately dislike Peter, which was of course picked up on by said wizard. And now, since the holiday, Sirius was taking out all of his anger and frustrations on Peter, further alienating their friend. James wasn't sure what to make of it, but since no one else was bringing it up, he figured he wouldn't either on the off-chance that it will work itself out.

"I would love to be an auror, too," Remus sighed, "But – well, anyway." And that was another thing James was confused about! Remus seemed to be getting closer and closer to spilling his werewolf status, at least to Lily and Ginny. Now that wouldn't be a bad thing, but it was unusual for Remus. That was a secret that they'd all guarded so closely the last six and a half years that it was jarring to think other people could find out. Well, aside from Snivellus, but at least his self-preservation instincts kept him from squealing.

"Why can't you?" Lily asked. James's eyes narrowed as Sirius and Ginny exchanging a knowing look. Did she know? Was that how close they were now, that Sirius would share Remus's secret?

Sirius caught his stare, and at James's inquiring and mildly accusing look, he shook his head almost imperceptibly, mouthing 'later'. James nodded, fully intending to hold his friend to that. If he _had_ told Ginny, well…James didn't really know what. He didn't know what that would mean, and he didn't know what he'd do about it. He understood why Sirius might want to share these things, but this wasn't his to share.

"Oh, erm," Remus blushed at not having a good answer to Lily's question. "Well, it's just not something I'll be able to do, that's all."

Lily frowned at that answer. "Remus, your marks are excellent! There is probably nothing out there that you couldn't do if you were so inclined. I don't understand why you couldn't go into auror training, if it is what you want. You'd make an excellent auror, right James?"

That startled James out of his musings, and he nodded his head enthusiastically. "Yeah, of course, Moony. You'd be great at it!" He felt a little bad, like saying it rubbed salt in his friend's wounds, but with Lily pressing him, what else could he say or do? "You'd probably be the best."

"Isn't it odd that we have to start thinking about these things?" Ginny asked, diverting the question from Remus purposely enough that James was suddenly positive she knew. "Getting jobs after choosing a career? A bit intimidating, wouldn't you say?"

"The offer to run away and find a secluded beach somewhere still stands," Sirius grinned, winking lasciviously at her. "I'd take you in a bikini over magical auror obstacle courses any day."

James rolled his eyes at that. "Yes, I think we've all seen enough of your part of the room to know how you feel about bikinis," he snorted, referring to Sirius's vast collage of Muggle posters. "Have to be blind to miss that."

Sirius just grinned good-naturedly at the ribbing. "That's nothing. If the family home wasn't such a freak show, I'd take you all over to see all the ones I put up there to take the piss out of my mother. She's such a Muggle lover, that one. But at least that led to me finding that sticking charm, and you and Moony know what good use we put that one to."

Looking at Ginny, Lily raised an eyebrow. "You let him have pictures of nearly naked girls all over the place?"

"What do I care?" Ginny shrugged, throwing a teasing smirk her boyfriend's way. "I mean, really, he's cute and all, but those girls are clearly out of his league. It's just a little fantasy to keep his little mind occupied."

"My mind is _not_ little," Sirius huffed in exasperation before mock leering at her suggestively. "In fact, nothing on me is little."

Lily rolled her eyes, choosing not to acknowledge Sirius's assertions. "Anyway, it is odd, being as close as we are to finishing school. I'm not sure that I'm ready to be finished," she sighed.

Sirius smirked, sniping, "I'm sure if you turned in a Troll performance on your NEWTs that Dumbledore and McGonagall would want you to come back for another year. Problem solved!"

"Bite your tongue!" Lily gasped, looking scandalized. "That isn't even a funny or particularly appropriate thing to joke about! Failing the….I can't believe you'd even say that. Honestly, Black, sometimes I don't know what is wrong with you!"

"She's right," Remus shuddered, nodding his vehement agreement. "You shouldn't joke about that. Your whole future more or less hinges on the outcome of your NEWT results. None of us should be taking them lightly or as a laughing matter."

Sirius almost retorted that there is a good possibility none of them even have a future, but he could feel the ring on Ginny's hand when she slipped hers into his. That touch was enough to again strengthen his resolve to keep a better outlook and remind him of his desire to help Ginny and McGonagall change things. Both women thought they could, and he was going to go along with it because…what else was there to do?

"Oi, Pads, your brother is coming this way," James muttered, jumping to his feet. It wasn't his Head Boy status that had him wanting to keep things down to a dull roar, but his desire to make sure his best friend didn't get himself expelled for killing his younger brother in the Great Hall. When Sirius started to draw his wand, James shook his head, whispering harshly, "You take that out, and I'll put you in detention myself."

"Nice, Prongs," Sirius snapped, anger bubbling to the surface, most of it for Regulus and the cocky look on his face as he strode over, but some of it was for James, too. How could his friend take away his right to fight this out, to protect what was his? This was his brother, and his girlfriend, and when the latter was attacked by the former, he ought to have a say in it, right?

But between the looks he got from Ginny and Remus, he managed to keep his cool and his seat. He supposed it wouldn't do to bring down McGonagall's wrath now, not when he's working with her and Ginny on this…well, project seemed too lame of a word for what they were doing, but he couldn't come up with anything better at the moment.

Still, it really irked him that James was jumping between him and Regulus. This should be his fight, not something where James was butting in and doing as he pleased. James managed to keep Regulus far enough away from where the rest of them are sitting that they can't even overhear the conversation between the two.

"Well, what did he say?" Sirius growled furiously at James as he came back to the table. "You can't put me off, Prongs. He didn't come over to invite you for tea; he came over because he had something to say to me. You might as well tell me what it is, or I'll make a point to bump into brother dearest and find out on my own."

"Mr. Subtlety strikes again," James rolled his eyes. "Yeah, look, if you want to talk about this, we're going out in the hall. This isn't a conversation we need to draw lots of attention to, considering how things are these days."

Sirius shook his head, standing and pushing past James. He rushed after Regulus, grabbing him by the shoulder and spinning him around. "Why don't you be a man and admit what you've done to Ginevra? We all know you did it, brother dear."

Regulus regarded him imperiously, merely lifting an eyebrow at his older brother. "Whatever do you mean now, fool?"

"I mean that I know it was you," Sirius hissed, his knuckles white as he tightly clutched his wand. "You hate me and you hate that I'm happy. You hate that Ginevra makes me happy, and you hurt her, didn't you?"

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean," Regulus smirked, glancing past Sirius to smirk at Ginny. "I haven't done anything to anyone. Rather baseless accusations, I'd say." He looked deliberately between his brother and his brother's girlfriend. "How is she, then? Must be a fairly good shag, if you've bothered to keep her around this long. I'd have thought she was frigid. A little _cold_, at least."

Without thinking even a second, Sirius reacted, a stunning spelling flying from his wand. Regulus just barely managed to get out of the way of it, despite fully anticipating it after the baiting he had just given his brother. Sirius dove at his slightly smaller brother, his fists raining down on him furiously as other people in the Hall spring into action.

James, being closest, was the first to get to them, pulling his wand out to separate them when a rapid succession of spells fly past him, each hitting Regulus. Effectively distracted from the fight in front of him, he whirled around to see who sent the spells. Not surprisingly, it was Ginny there with her wand drawn, furious expression on her face. A glance back at the fighting brothers confirmed that all the spells hit Regulus, and he was tap dancing like mad, laughing as though he is being tickled, and to top it off, giant bogeys were clawing at his face.

"Enough!" Dumbledore's magically enhanced voice booms through the Hall, not only bringing a stop to the antics of the three involved in the scuffle, but to all the jockeying for viewing position that immediately began taking place between the other students when they realized a fight was about to break out. "You will all cease this behavior right now. Every last one of you will proceed to retake your seats."

Before he could say anything else, McGonagall is at the Gryffindor table gesturing furiously at Ginny as she deducted house points for the girl's actions. Ginny nodded, contrition evident on her face at least, but Sirius doesn't show the same regret as he retook his seat. Instead, he wrapped an arm around his girlfriend's shoulder, pulling her to him and whispering in her ear.

McGonagall tapped him on the shoulder, her expression fierce as she informed them of their punishment. A month's detention? All in all, not so bad, James figured. Actually, he'd expected a little more from McGonagall, to tell the truth. At least neither were getting kicked off the quidditch team. That would've been a problem.

Shaking his head in amusement, James retook his own seat, frowning in slight confusion when his best friend leveled one angry glare on him. "What?" he muttered defensively.

"Thanks a lot," Sirius shot back, sarcasm thick and heavy in his voice as he stood up, motioning for James to follow him out of the Great Hall. "What the hell were you on about in there, trying to deprive me of the right to fight with my brother?"

"Between you and Ginevra, I think more than enough damage was done," James retorted. "I was just trying to spare you the month of detention, Sirius."

Sirius, of course, didn't tell James that the detentions would more than like be nothing more than a convenient cover story for why he and Ginny would be spending so much time with McGonagall. "You aren't my keeper," Sirius bit out in irritation. "I can take care of things myself. I don't need you running interference in my personal life."

James glared back, offended by his friend's rude remarks. "Fine, forgive me for being a friend then. Not that you've been such a great one yourself lately."

"What the bloody hell does that mean?" Sirius exclaimed, his fingers tightening around his wand. He wanted to blurt out all the things he had done lately in the name of friendship, the tedious hours of research, giving up time with his friends, and keeping secrets from the only family he really had.

Sighing, James shrugged. "Well, seeing as I thought the Moony thing was something of a secret, it would've been nice if you'd talked it over with the rest of us before you decided to tell Gin. At least check with Remus! You shouldn't have told her, Sirius."

Sirius scowled at his best friend. "Thanks for the benefit of the doubt, then. Did it ever even occur to you that of course I didn't tell her that? She found out on her own, Jamie. She saw us sneaking out of the tower and followed us a few months ago. Obviously, since it has been so long, she isn't going to tell anyone."

James's mouth snapped shut as he flushed a dull red at the wind being taken out of his sails. "Oh," he nodded, grimacing. "Sorry, I just hadn't considered that possibility." Sirius sat down on a bench, and James followed suit. "It's just, I know how close you and Gin are, so I figured you would want to share things like that with her. And then maybe one time, you told her, even if you didn't mean to."

"I don't tell her everything," Sirius shrugged, "And she doesn't ask me to, either."

"Yeah," James nodded contritely. "I guess if anyone knows the value of kept secrets, it would be Ginevra, huh?" He looked sideways at his friend. "Are you two ever going to tell me her real story? You can, you know. I wouldn't tell anyone else."

"I know," Sirius sighed, "But we can't. What you know is actually most of it, but…honestly, it would be dangerous for you to know more than you already do. She wishes she could tell you more, actually. I think she might have, but, erm, I told her not to. Just so you know."

_That _was an unexpected admission, James couldn't help but think. It was so unexpected in fact that it took him a few seconds to formulate an actual coherent response. "Why would you stop her from telling us?"

Sirius sighed. "For her safety. For yours. The more people who know the truth, the more dangerous it is for Ginny. I'm sorry, but I won't say anything else about it. That's just the way it is."

"You really love her," James noted, feeling stupid that he's just now picking up on the incredible depth of love his friend had for Ginevra. "I mean, I know you did, but – but I guess I didn't realize how much." He shook his head. "That sounds so lame."

"I'd do anything for her," Sirius confessed, or more likely confirmed. "You know that my friends, that you, Moony, and don't you dare tell her, but even Lily mean a whole heck of a lot to me. A whole bloody lot! Ah, hell James, I don't even know how it happened, but I'm – I'm a sap for her. I'd marry her today, if that weren't totally insane and impossible. That's how bloody gone I am."

James grinned, elbowing Sirius in the side. "You know, I find it very amusing how the tables have turned here. It wasn't all that long ago that I was the sap of the group. This is a refreshing change of pace." Sobering a little, he brushed a hand through his messy hair. "What happened with Peter? You're being a prat to him these days."

There wasn't really an argument Sirius could make in his own defense on this, but since he wasn't sure he even wants to, he didn't bother. "Frankly, I don't want him around at all," Sirius stated harshly, "But I suppose that can't be helped."

"What did he do?" James asked, needing there to be a reason so that he could make a decision, take a side. "He had to do something, right, if he's lost your trust like this? He's never been the smartest bloke around, or the most talented wizard, but you have to admit, the guy is loyal. Never been anything but, Pads."

Hearing that was like salt in the wound, knowing just how far Peter's loyalty stretched. Shaking his head, Sirius said, "Look, I can't get into it, but I can tell you that you might want to take a page out of my book. Have you ever considered his animagus form before? He's a rat traitor."

He said that last part with such venom that James was taken more than a little aback. "What the bloody hell did he do?" he exclaimed, asking the one thing he could think of that might make Sirius this angry. "Did he make a move on Ginevra?"

Sirius shook his head grimly. "Worse. I can't get into it, though. But Prongs, if you trust me, if you _know_ me, then you know I wouldn't act like this or say these things without cause."

Unable to deny that, James nodded distractedly. He did know that Sirius wasn't the type to turn his back on a friend of six and a half years, so there had to be a good reason in this somewhere. The problem was, what could he do without knowing? Could he act like Sirius, and turn his back on a friend? He wasn't too sure.

"Look, you don't have to cut him off if you can't," Sirius sighed, "But be careful, yeah?"

"Yeah," James agreed hesitantly.

What else could he do?

~*~

"Well, I think that I have managed to pull all information and pertinent records stored at Hogwarts on one Tom Marvolo Riddle," McGonagall noted as she entered her classroom where Sirius and Ginny were serving their second week of detention. "Unfortunately, that means that we still do not know a whole lot, and our avenues of exploration have just become decidedly more difficult."

"And these avenues would be?" Sirius asked, looking intrigued at the possibility of doing something more challenging than research.

McGonagall pursed her lips as she took the seat behind her desk. "This is where it gets very difficult," she admitted. "We're going to have to get into the records at the Ministry somehow. I'd like to start with the Hall of Records and, if possible, the Department of Mysteries."

Sirius frowned. "So, erm, we just walk up, get a visitor's badge, and start digging through their files? Now, my dad was and my mom is strongly anti-Ministry, but even I picked up a few things about the place. And one of those things is that they don't seem eager to share their records and knowledge with us normal people."

"Obviously, we can't do that," Ginny sighed, flicking him on the ear. "Be serious. This is not – not a time to be sarcastic or flippant!"

"I'm always Sirius," he grinned, holding a hand up when she glared at him. "Okay, love? This is clearly going to be a long, frustrating process. If I don't get to go off occasionally, things will just be even more miserable than necessary."

McGonagall gazed at him shrewdly. "Surprisingly well said," she agreed with something of a smirk playing about her thin lips. "Ginevra, listen to your Mr. Black. I know that this is of crucial importance, what we are trying to do. Therefore, we must remain patient through this process."

Reluctantly, Ginny nodded her agreement. "I'm sorry. I do know that, it's just – neither of you can even fathom how truly bad things get. I – we have to change things. We have to destroy these horcruxes so Voldemort can be killed!"

"And we will," McGonagall promised her. "Darling, I know you want to see this done instantly, but I fear that if we rush into this, we will all be killed." Ginny sighed, nodding her agreement. Looking at the girl's hand, McGonagall motioned for her to stand, doing the same. "Ginevra, I'd like a word with you in the hall, if you please."

Ginny stood and follows, shooting a confused look Sirius's way as she went. As the door shuts behind them, Ginny apologized, "I'm sorry, Professor. I didn't mean to be so rude about things. I know that impatience is unbecoming."

To Ginny's surprise, McGonagall reached out to take her hand. "I didn't ask you out here to scold you; I asked you out here because I am a nosy old woman, and I would like to know about this ring of yours."

"Oh," Ginny gaped, blushing as she looked down at their hands. "You really want to know?"

"Yes, Ginevra, of course I want to know," McGonagall retorted tartly. "It might come as a surprise to you, but you matter to me. Therefore when you do things like go out and get engaged, I would like to know. And I would like to think you would be willing to share these things with me, as well."

Ginny blinked in surprise before breaking into a wide smile. "We aren't engaged," she assured their professor. "It's a promise ring. A Muggle custom, he told me, but he put some of the same or similar spells on it to a Wizard engagement ring, so it has the binding properties, to a degree. He gave it to me for Christmas."

McGonagall nodded, peering at Ginny. "You have not known him all that long. Are you sure this is what you want, to make a commitment to Sirius Black?" Ginny's eyebrows shot up as she nodded emphatically. "Well, alright then. If you are happy, then I am happy for you. I take it that you have discussed with him the possibility that you will not remain in this time forever?"

"If it is up to me, I won't go. I love Sirius, my friends here…you." McGonagall's face, which was always a little softer when talking to Ginny than anyone else, practically melted at that. "I mean that, too. Without my family, my mother to talk to, you've….I'm just so glad it's you, Professor. I don't know what I'd have done without you."

"Oh, Ginevra," McGonagall sighed, pulling the girl into a tight embrace, "That goes double for me. You have become so important to me, darling. You are an utter treasure, and I am just so glad to have you here with us." She pulled out of the hug, her hands cupping Ginny's cheeks. "If Sirius makes you happy, and you are ready to wear his ring, then I am completely and unequivocally happy for you."

"Thank you," Ginny murmured sincerely, reaching out to hug her again. "Thank you so much. It's nice to have someone that I can share this with."

McGonagall pressed a kiss to her forehead. "It is I who should be thank you, but you are welcome. You are so very welcome."

Ginny glanced towards the door the back to her teacher. "I can almost guarantee that he is listening now," she whispered, grinning hugely at McGonagall. "He's really very nosy, you see. Especially since he'll be convinced that we're talking about him right now."

"Then why don't you go and tell him that tonight's detention is over, and scold him all the way back to the tower for his nosiness?"

"We can go already?" Ginny asked, her eyebrows knitting together in confusion.

"I don't see why not," McGonagall smiled. "You two have been model detention citizens, and well, there's not much else we can do with our search right now. I'll start looking into ways to get into the Hall of Records without rising too much of a red flag, but for now, I'm afraid we're at something of a standstill."

This was exactly what Ginny did not want to hear, but she just nodded distractedly, smiling slightly when McGonagall smoothes a hand over her curls. "Thank you, for everything."

Kissing her cheek, McGonagall nodded. "It is always my pleasure, darling girl. If you ever need anything, I am here for you. Now, go on. I'll see you both in class tomorrow."

Nodding, Ginny turned towards the door. "Yeah, good night." She watched as McGonagall walks briskly down the hall, only opening the door when the professor turned the corner and was out of sight. Pushing through the door, she was unsurprised to catch Sirius jumping back, a sheepish look on his face until he realizes that it was just Ginny returning.

"Where'd she go?" he asked, smiling when Ginny wrapped her arms around him.

"We're out of detention for the night," she said, her mind still ruminating on the new trouble they'd met with in their search for information on Voldemort. "Let off for relatively good behavior, I think. Plus, there's not much left to do here for research, so I think McGonagall is cutting us some slack."

"Lovely," Sirius yawned, perking up when a thought sprung to mind. "Hey, if we have all this time, we could stop by the Room of Requirement. I would give my owl away to have some bonafide, genuine alone time with you, love."

"That's nice, Siri," she murmured, her mind wandering elsewhere. "You know, they'll never let us just go through those records. I mean, we all know that, right?"

He frowned, dropping his arms from around her waist. "Well, yeah, but Gin, we can worry about that any time. However, we can't just sneak off to the RoR at any old time, so I suggest we – "

She interrupted him with a sharp shake of her head. "I say we go there now," she whispered, looking up at him intently. He's a good head and a half taller than her, so as she stepped closer to him, she had to tip her head nearly all the way back to keep her eyes on his. "I'm not joking about this, Sirius. Sooner or later, McGonagall is going to realize it will come down to this, but I don't want to wait. Bloody hell, I don't think we can afford to wait."

He stared at her, nearly believing her for a moment before he burst out laughing, sure that she was having him on. "Oi, Gin, I nearly believed you! Breaking into the Ministry to go through their records," he laughed, his hands clutching her shoulder. "That's a good one, love."

"I'm not kidding," she said quietly, watching intently to see his reaction. "I – oh, Sirius, I know it sounds crazy, but if we don't go get what we need, then we'll never be able to defeat him!"

"I – well, I can't argue with that," he started, scratching his forehead, "But Gin, this is not a good idea. Running off half-cocked to the Ministry, which as you've said yourself is partially corrupt with supporters of Voldemort, is not a good idea!"

Ginny sighed, nodding as she tucked a much shorter than she was used to lock of hair behind her ear. "I never said it was; I said it was necessary. And you aren't going to get me to change my mind on that."

Trepidation accelerating his heart beat, Sirius asked the question he more than likely did not really want to have answered. "What are you saying, Gin?"

"I – I really think that we should go there tonight," she replied earnestly, her voice soft and maybe a touch unsure. "I know it sounds completely barmy, but I've broke into the Ministry before. It can be done. _We_ can do this, Siri."

"It's a little beyond crazy," he laughed hollowly. "Gin, if we got caught, I sincerely doubt that McGonagall could get us of it if. We'd be in some serious trouble. No pun intended, for once."

Ginny nodded. "But Dumbledore could. We'd have to tell him the truth, obviously, but I guess that is a price that I am willing to pay if necessary."

He was not sure what to make of any of this. It seemed like – no, it _was_ such a bad idea, but at the same time, he knew why it needed to be done. The sooner the better probably, but at the same time, they were so unprepared for something like this. It seemed more than a little crazy to jump into anything. "The second McGonagall starts requesting access, that place will most likely seal up like an Egyptian tomb," he sighed, kicking at a chair and knocking it over. "Bloody hell! I don't like this. I don't like it one bit."

Nodding wearily, Ginny moved closer to him, taking his hand. "I know, Sirius. Believe me, this isn't how I'd like to do this, but I hate this waiting. This is a crazy idea, I know, and mostly likely we'll get caught, but there's so much at stake and waiting feels like death sentence. Not even my own."

"Mine, you mean?" he whispered, his throat painfully tight.

"Yours and so many others," she nodded, a lump in her own throat. "I just need to know I'm doing something to prevent those things."

"You already have, Gin!" he promised her fervently. "Love, knowledge is power, and what you have given me and McGonagall is priceless. I know you want to do more, I know that you want to save the whole bloody world, but what you're doing is amazing. Don't sell yourself short."

"You sure about that?" she asked, her eyes twinkling with relief and happiness at his stance on this. "Maybe you're just a touch delusional." He was about to retort cheekily when she lunged forward, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Siri, if you don't want to do this tonight, then we won't. I'm – I am okay with that."

He scolded, "Ginevra Molly Weasley, there is no way in Hell that I won't be on your side for every second of this." He leaned forward, resting his cheek against hers. "I won't let you do this alone, any of it."

She tipped her head up enough to press her lips to his. "Oh, Sirius Black, I love you, and there is no one else I could ever trust as much as I trust you."

He sighed as she brushed her lips over his again. "Are you trying to persuade me with kisses? I'll have you that there is a very slim chance that will actually work, love. Well, better than slim, I suppose. Alright, there's actually only a slim chance that I'll be able to resist you."

Ginny just laughed huskily, deepening the kiss. "I guess that means it's working then." She pulled back slightly, smiling up at him. "I just – I've been here over four months now, and I really feel like I've done nothing. I haven't done anything to prevent all the horrible things that will happen."

"You know what I think?" he asked after a quiet moment. "I think that neither of us will be much help to anyone if we rush into something that McGonagall and Dumbledore can't get us out of or worse, killed." She started to protest, but he cut her off with a fingertip to her lips. "Listen to me for half a mo', yeah?" Grudgingly, she nodded. "Let's wait and see what McGonagall can accomplish. If she can't get anywhere with the Ministry, then we'll do it ourselves. But let's give her a chance first."

"Do you really think that's for the best?"

"Yes, love, I do." He gripped her fingers tight within his own. "I'll be honest; I won't take unnecessary risks with you. I just will not do it. You can say that's selfish, and ay, it probably is, but I don't care and I'm not sorry."

Sighing, she tugged him down closer to her eye level. "You aren't going to lose me," she promised softly. "I am here, I am yours, and that isn't changing."

He gave her a weak smile, a little embarrassed that she so easily sussed out his fears. "It feels like there are a hundred ways I could lose you. You could realize that I'm not nearly good enough for you, my awful family could chase you away, you could leave for your own time, or that Harry bloke who, if he has any sense at all, loves you madly, will come and take you away from me." At her wide-eyed look of surprise, he shrugged. "Maybe it's stupid, but I can't lose you. I _can't_."

Ginny pushed him down onto a chair, climbing on his lap. "I guess there are a few things that we need to talk about," she smiled wryly at him. "First of all, I am not too good for you, not by any stretch of the imagination. Not in any way, shape, or form. That's just not the case. Second, your family. Bloody hell, is that the best you can come up with? Your brother likely left me for dead after attacking me! If that didn't change how I felt about you, why would anything else?"

He shrugged, his insecurities not that easily dismissed. "It isn't that. It's – I guess maybe you'd think that the apple doesn't fall so far from the tree sometimes. Ah, hell, Gin, sometimes _I _think that."

"Well, you're wrong then," she said softly, her eyes blazing fiercely with love and something that he wasn't entirely sure of. "Because I know you aren't like them. I _know_ you aren't like your parents or your brother…and especially not like that insane cousin of yours, Bellatrix. You are – you are wonderful and kind and good, just as much so as anyone I've ever known.

"If I have to go back to my own time, well – I don't plan on that. I – I know we haven't talked mudh of that, but you should know that I am here. This is where I want to be, with you." She paused, looking him in the away unwaveringly. "As far as Harry goes, that part of my life is over now. Harry was…he was my girlhood. You're my womanhood, my present, and my future."

He nodded, seeing the truths in her eyes. "I'm your grown up love, then?" he smirked, blatantly fishing for compliments.

She cocked an eyebrow at him, smiling impishly. "Oh, you just love it when your ego is stroked, don't you?"

Grinning, Sirius shook his head. "There are things I really love when you stroke, and while my ego is one of them, it is certainly not at the top of the list."

"Sirius!" Ginny exclaimed, laughing hard as he wrapped his arms around her middle. "You really are my grown up love," she finally whispered in her ear once he'd settled down, her face heating furiously. "I love you like a woman loves a man." As she said it, she knew that it was entirely true.

He kept his eyes locked on hers as he fiddled with the clasps of her robe. "I know what you mean," he said quietly. "This isn't child's play for me, Ginevra. I've never – not with anyone – but still, I know. I know what this is."

She nodded her agreement. "I know. I haven't had anything like this either. Nothing even close to being in the same realm as what you and I have. Feeling this way, wanting and love this way – it's all new to me, and so brilliantly amazing."

"I guess I sound like a right needy berk, huh? Making you spell out your love for me? A little sad, a little pathetic."

A mischievous smile appeared on her face, instantly lifting the serious mood that had settled around them at their serious declarations. "It's not that you are needy so much as I'm just obviously wondrous."

Laughing, Sirius grabbed her by the hand and tugged her to the door. "Come on, Miss Perfect. Let's get back to the tower. Maybe Lily and James will be in the midst of another intense gazing session that we could interrupt."

He grinned as her laughter echoed down the hall. "Maybe? That's a sure thing."

After a moment of walking in silence, she glanced up at him. "Is it very hard, keeping these secrets from your friends?"

"They're your friends, too," he pointed out, grinning when she fixed him with her best McGonagall stare. "Well, they are."

"You aren't very cute when you are being deliberately obtuse," she informed him as haughtily as she could muster, giggling when he growled playfully at her. He swung her hand in his, drawing a smile from her. "I mean it. They've been your friends for so long now; I can only imagine that it is very hard for you to keep my secrets from them."

"It's fine, Gin," Sirius tried to assure her. "This was my choice, remember? You were all set to tell them, and I decided that we shouldn't. You don't need to worry about it, love."

She slid closer as they walk, leaning into his side. "I'm not worried, exactly. But al the same, I love you and I love our friends. I don't want anyone – especially you – getting hurt because of my secrets."

He looked down, raising an eyebrow at her. After casting a quick glance around to ascertain that they were alone, still keeping his voice quiet he asked, "What are you saying, Gin? Do you want to tell them the truth? That you've traveled here from a future where you date Lily and James's son, long after they – and I – are dead?"

"Yes, spot on there," she huffed in irritation. "Focus on what is really important and germane to all of our problems and current lives – how I used to date their son. And you know what? It wasn't even dating, really. We snogged and walked the grounds together. Then he dumped me."

"So, he never took you to a Muggle movie theater after dramatically whisking you out of the castle?" he grinned. "I should think that even Pettigrew could come up with something better than just walking the grounds."

She rolled her eyes at his oh-so-subtle attempt to undermine Harry. "There was a war going on," she reminded him, "And Harry was – is – the main target. Gallivanting about seemed like a rather stupid idea. Anyway, none of that matters now. Harry and I didn't last, and you and I have this amazing thing between us. How could you ever doubt that?"

Sirius stopped walking, his hands coming up to rest on her shoulders. "I know I sound like a jealous berk and well, I am. Maybe I just worry anytime I've had something good, it's been taken away from me. It scares me to death, the possibility of losing you."

Ginny softened up a bit at that, closing the gap between them and wrapping her arms around his neck. He was so much taller than her that she had to stretch up on her toes to reach. "My heart is yours, Siri. It has been almost since the first day I met you. More importantly, it will always be yours." He slouched down a little so that it was easier for her to maintain her hold on him. "No matter what happens, I love you."

"Well, isn't that sweet," the cold, detached voice of Severus Snape cooed mockingly at them. "Your slag has actually fallen for you. Perhaps she is even stupider than she appears, to have fallen for you."

Ginny tugged on a lock of Sirius's hair in warning even as she whipped out her own wand. "Bugger off, Snape. Like always, your opinions are completely unwanted and unnecessary. So go back to your girlfr – oh, right, no girl wants you. How silly of me to forget! To make matters worse, you've driven off the only one who ever cared for you, even a tiny bit."

Snape bristled at that, taking a menacing step towards her. He stopped short at the sight of two wands pointed directly at his face. "You are two of an awful kind," he glowered at them, his face contorted angrily.

"Now, now Sevvie," Sirius taunted him in return. "You really ought to play a little nicer. I can assure you that you would not appreciate it if I turned Ginevra here loose on you. That bat-bogey hex of hers…mmm, not pretty."

"And I'd play a little smarter, if I was you," Snape hissed back, his own wand rose despite his obvious fear as he stared at Ginny. "You really ought to have figured out by now that your toys can be broken or taken away from you."

Ginny's eyes widened at the threat while Sirius's narrow dangerously as he glared unrelentingly at Snape. "If you ever so much as lay one miserable finger on her, I will you make you wish that you'd never heard of magic."

He said it so coldly, with such conviction that Ginny shifted her gaze to him. With one last loathsome, supercilious glare, Snape turned and stormed down the hall, his black robes billowing behind him. "I really hate that greasy, overgrown bat," Sirius growled, still of half a mind to chase after him. "He threatened you."

"Yes, he did," Ginny agreed calmly. "We'll need to tell Dumbledore and McGonagall about it. They'll want to know, I would think." He stared at her, obviously put out by how calmly she is taking it. "Honestly, Sirius! The last person that I'm afraid of is Snape. Perhaps that is foolish on my part, but honestly, I don't think he's anything more than a spiteful little boy. Who happens to grow up to be a spiteful little man."

"Well, I don't know about that. I think that Snape has a cruel streak a mile wide and that he wouldn't hesitate to lash out at you. As much as he hates me, and there is no denying he does, you have a gift for infuriating him," Sirius pointed out reasonably as they walk on. "Please don't taunt him, love. I'm afraid that he might actually follow through on his threats if you piss him off enough."

Ginny blinked, having anticipated that he'd be as unconcerned and bemused by Snape's empty threat as she was. "What am I missing?" she asked, a tiny frown creasing the skin between her eyebrows. "It's Snape. Of all the Slytherins to be concerned about, he's the last on my list."

He shook his head at that. "Don't underestimate him, Gin. He doesn't just hate you; he hates me, James, and Remus. If he targets you, he hurts all of us." She still looked doubtful, prompting him to scowl in frustration. "Ginny! You told me that he _kills_ Dumbledore! Kills the greatest wizard of all time. You, of all people, know what he is capable of doing. Why are you downplaying it now?"

"Snape hasn't killed anyone yet, Siri. Maybe we can do something to change it, to prevent him from killing anyone. I don't know. Right now, though, he is just a petty and mean and bitter boy," she shrugged carelessly.

"Ginny, those things are not a good combination to have him be towards you. Petty, mean, and bitter are a dangerous combination, especially with Snape, who has a world of Dark Arts knowledge at his fingertips," Sirius reasoned, rather calmly given his hatred of the subject. "He's dangerous, love. Please don't underestimate him."

"Okay," she agreed immediately, his urgency getting to her. "I'll stop taunting him, if you are that worried about it."

He twirled a strand of her fiery hair around his finger. "Thank you, love," he murmured quietly. "That makes me feel a little better about things."

"Want me to make you feel a lot better?" she asked coyly, grinning when his face flooded with color. "We could sneak back to the Room of Requirement, if you wanted." She sighed, remembering where they were going and why. "Maybe we can sneak back there later. Or maybe we can encourage everyone to go to bed early so that we can have the common room to ourselves."

"I bet we can scare the ickle ones right out of there. Maybe you could bat-bogey Peter, and then offer it to everyone else," he suggested with a mischievous grin.

She laughed with him, smiling to herself when he took her hand, his fingers playing over their ring. "As much as I love the idea of hexing Pettigrew, I think I should refrain from hexing anyone for awhile. No need to get myself a real detention with any of our other professors, right?"

Sirius grinned back at her, lifting her hand to his mouth so he could kiss her finger around the rings. "This ring suits you very well," he boasted, a teasing glint in his eye. "This ring is rather perfect for you."

She smiled, and they walk on, enjoying the moment alone. "I was thinking about my family earlier. My mum, mostly. I was imagining her reaction to this. To us."

"Not so good, right?"

"I don't know what it would be," she shrugged. "It's hard because she knows you in the future. The two of you rather loudly and frequently disagreed with one another on how to handle Harry. Oh, I think you both really liked the other, but that summer was so hard on everyone."

He nodded, a thousand thoughts swirling around in his head. He could only imagine what a nightmare that summer would have been for him. She had told him bits and pieces, and it sounded truly miserable. Shaking those thoughts away, he pressed one more kiss to her knuckle, just above the ring. "Well, hopefully someday, somehow, she'll get to me as something other than Harry's godfather, who is apparently very easy to row with."

"As her son-in-law," Ginny stated firmly, leaving no room for any argument. "That's how I want her to know you, Siri. As her daughter's well-loved husband."

"Sod our friends," he groaned, jerking her into his arms. "Room of Requirement? Pretty please?"

She should say no; she _knows _that a firm 'no' is the right way to answer, but she could not bring herself to say it. Instead, she nodded her agreement, grateful for some time alone with her boyfriend.


	15. Problem After Problem

A/N: Here is the next chapter. I'm trying to get on a regular posting schedule – I just got a new computer (and have been working on this story prior to that), and I found that I had a few chapters done that had gone unposted. So I'm trying to get those up once a week at least.

The next few chapters will kind of wrap of the Ginny/stalker storyline and move forward from there. We'll see more of her, Sirius, and McGonagall attempting to solve the Voldemort riddle. I'm looking forward to that, and I hope you all will too!

Hope you enjoy!

**Chapter Fifteen – **_**Problem After Problem**_

"Now, is everyone clear what their primary objective is?" Sirius barked out. Each member of the Gryffindor quidditch team nodded emphatically. Ginny and James exchange feral smiles as Sirius wound up his speech.

The team cheered in response, the two beaters pumping their brooms into the air before mounting them and taking to the air for their match against Hufflepuff. Ginny grinned towards the stands, waving at Remus and Lily. Sirius yelled at her to focus on the snitch. She rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out at him, refraining from pointing out that none of the balls had even been released. James winked at her, and the next thing she knew, the balls were being released.

It was a fast-paced game with the chasers from both sides managing to move up and down the pitch effectively, but the keepers played well and the score was only thirty to ten in favor of Gryffindor. Despite her longing to be a part of the action, Ginny managed to keep her focus on spotting and catching the snitch. Per Sirius and James, the Hufflepuff seeker was actually a rather talented seventh year whose name came up as being scouted in quidditch magazines frequently, so she also paid him a good bit of attention, too.

Just as she spotted the snitch, the Hufflepuff seeker took off like a shot, gaining a lead of a precious second or two on her. "Bloody hell," she muttered, forcing her broom into a steep dive. To her delight, luck was apparently on her side as the snitch veered towards the center of the pitch which gave her equal odds of catching the blasted thing. Of course, it was also rather low to the ground, so she had the choice of being a little safer and tempering the steepness of her descent, or going full out in the hope of catching it first and crashing second.

Miraculously, her luck held and she managed to nick the snitch from her opponent's nearly closed fingers. It did not, unfortunately, hold long enough to prevent her from crashing into the side of the Slytherin stands, taking the Hufflepuff seeker with her. She managed to push herself up on her hands and knees, the snitch tightly clasped in the fingers of her left hand, before wooziness sets in and she slipped face first into the dirt.

"Gin!" James was the first to reach her, grinning when she held the snitch up for him to see. "That catch was the best bloody thing I've seen! I have to admit, I wasn't sure you'd get there in time. That was bloody brilliant!"

She laughed weakly, rolling onto her side. "Glad you approve, then. Ugh, I think there is dirt in my mouth."

He grinned hugely at that. "Here comes your boyfriend. Oh, he looks like he's about to cry. Why, Gin! I think he might be a little bit worried about you!"

"Oi, help me sit up, you berk," she ordered, recognizing the distress on Sirius's face. "C'mon Potter, I don't him to worry more than he already is."

"I don't know," James hedged even as he helped her up. "If you can't sit on your own, you probably shouldn't be sitting at all."

"Ginevra!" Sirius scolded as he jumps off his broom from about ten feet in the air. "Lay her down, Prongs! And give her some damn space."

Ginny smiled faintly up at her boyfriend. "I'm just fine, Siri. Well," she amended, "My head is spinning and my right side hurts from shoulder to toe, but you know what?"

In spite of himself, he smiled as he knelt down beside her. "What, love?"

"I caught the snitch," she beamed, holding her hand out. With that, her eyes rolled back into her head and her body went limp.

"Help her, someone help her!" Sirius yelled in frustration from where he is kneeling next to her prone form. He glared at James who was still propping her up, unsure what to do. "Madame Pomfrey!"

It was McGonagall who hurried to their side as Pomfrey was helping with the Hufflepuff seeker. Flitwick joined them, and at McGonagall's urging, he ran through some basic diagnostic spells. A pleased smile lights the small man's face. "Wonderful, absolutely wonderful. Considering how she plowed into the ground, Miss Watson is in none too poor of shape. She has a bump on the head – well, Poppy will look at that closer, but I don't see any damage with that – a sprained wrist and plenty of bruises. Absolutely nothing that a few hours in the hospital wing and several potions won't cure right up," he squeaked happily. "Maybe not even any stay in the hospital wing at all, actually!"

Sirius and James breathed huge sighs of relief just as half of Gryffindor, led by Lily and Remus at the front of the herd, reaches them. "What's wrong with Ginny? Is she okay? Why isn't she awake? Oh, I _knew_ quidditch was dangerous, but that was ridiculous!"

Once the questions (and comment from Lily) started, McGonagall raised her hand, halting them immediately with the stern look on her face. "Miss Watson will be fine. You can cease with the worry and head back to the common room to celebrate her rather remarkable catch."

All four of Ginny's closest friends looked at her as though she was crazy, and even those not among her best friends did not appear eager to leave her there. "Professor, you would have to force me magically to make me leave her side," Sirius stated plainly. "Neither will these three," he said, indicating Remus, James, and Lily.

"You may visit her in the hospital wing once Madame Pomfrey gives you that permission, but no longer than for the amount of time she specifies and only when she says it is acceptable," McGonagall informed them, shooting Sirius a particularly tight-lipped look. "If any of you ignores these rules in any way, you will all be banned. Is that understood?"

The chorus of resigned 'yes, professor' that she received was apparently satisfactory for she turned, murmuring a quiet incantation and levitating Ginny's prone form. Sirius hastily stood, moving to follow. "Professor, I could car…" His voice trailed off at her withering look. "Or perhaps not."

McGonagall fixed James, Lily, and Remus with a pointed stare. "Do your Head and prefect duties, please. After that, you may come to the hospital wing and check when you're able to visit Miss Watson."

"Well, that's not fair!" James protested. "She's our friend, too, and we want to see that she is okay just as much as Sirius does!"

"Somehow I doubt that," Remus snickered under his breath, sharing an amused glance with Lily. "Come on, James, we'll just get everyone up to the tower and settled, and then come back down. It'll barely take half a mo', yeah?"

"Yes, James, it'll be fine," Lily reluctantly agreed. She was also rather loath to leave their friend, but knew that there was no point in arguing with Professor McGonagall.

To everyone's relief, Madame Pomfrey finished up with the Hufflepuff seeker and, along with Dumbledore, stepped over to inspect Ginny before McGonagall could whisk her up to the castle. She tutted over Ginny for a moment before nodding to McGonagall. "Yes, yes, let's get her inside, then. There's no need to keep her out here in this cold, is there?"

His friends and half of Gryffindor called out their goodbyes and good wishes to Sirius and Ginny. He acknowledged them with a wave over his shoulder as he kept his gaze focused on Ginny. True to her word, McGonagall did not let him enter the hospital wing while Ginny is being examined. She left him alone to stew in his worry for a few moments, and then she stepped out, sitting next to him on the bench.

"Ginevra will be just fine," she assured him again. "She will not even feel any ill effects of her fall by morning."

"That's good," Sirius agreed. "May I see her now?"

Her lips thinning, McGonagall regarded him with something close to exasperation in her eyes. "Mr. Black, you are a very trying young man. For years, myself and my fellow professors have tried to encourage your enthusiasm and interests for our various subjects. You play pranks, you have tried your wiles on half the female population, and you generally made a nuisance of yourself with no sign of growth in terms of maturity. Now this year, all of a sudden, you have seemed to cease being a little boy and grown into a man. One with career goals even!"

Sirius grinned, taken by surprise by his stern Head of House's teasing. "Well, we all have to grow up sometime, right?" McGonagall raised an eyebrow at him in lieu of ordering him to continue. "I am going to marry Ginevra, Professor. Not only do I want to be worthy of her and able to support her, but I want to be able to help her with all these things she's going to have to do. I need to do that for her and for myself. I guess I've just realized that it will be a lot easier to do those things if I stop goofing off and start learning a few things."

"You really have grown up then." McGonagall nodded with a pleased smile adding, "You and Ginevra are very sure of yourselves. There are a lot of…possible problems that could arise. There is always the chance that she will have to go back."

"Yes," he nodded, bitterly aware of that. "I – I know that there are a lot of things that could go wrong, and that it would probably be smarter if we weren't so…close, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. I can only take what I am given, Professor. I have to take what I am given."

McGonagall smiled at that. "I do not doubt your love or devotion to Ginevra in the slightest, Mr. Black. I even understand the sentiment of making the most of things. In fact, I think it is rather marvelous that the two of you have found one another. What you have is obviously quite magical."

"No pun intended, right?" he managed to chuckle at that, smirking when she gazed back at him wither her normal, implacable expression. "She really is okay, right?"

McGonagall smiled slightly. "She really is just fine." The door opened and Madame Pomfrey stuck her head out. "I think you may go in now, Sirius."

"Okay," he agreed immediately, although the use of his given name did not go unnoticed. "Thank you. For waiting with me, I mean. And talking."

"Anytime," McGonagall smiled in return. "Do tell Ginevra that I am glad she is alright. You may also mention that her catch today is among the most impressive I have ever seen from a student. Why she ever wanted to be a chaser, I'll never understand."

He laughed at that. "She'll like hearing the part about the catch, so I'll be sure to tell her." Surprising them both, he stooped low and pressed a kiss to her cheek. He faltered for a moment, blushing a deep red that his professor had never seen on his face before. "I – well, thanks," he muttered before pushing through the doors.

Ginny was sitting up in bed, and a smile lit her face when she saw him. "I thought you'd found something better to do than visit your girlfriend," she teased, an eyebrow shooting up when he doesn't answer right away. "What's wrong? You're all flushed."

Sirius frowned at her, feeling his blush deepen. "Damn. It's – well, I did something embarrassing. Can we leave it at that?" He groaned aloud at the blatantly curious and slightly giddy look on her face. "Oh, bloody hell, Gin! If you're just going to make fun of me, then I really won't tell you!"

"Oh, Sirius," she smiled, holding her hand out for his, "If you really don't want me to tease you, then I promise that I won't."

"I kissed McGonagall," he mumbled, almost inaudibly. She stared at him blankly for a moment, long enough that he let himself think that maybe she didn't hear. Then she giggled. "You said – "

"Well, that was before I knew you had the hots for McGonagall! Oh, Sirius, shall I set you free? I'd hate to think that I was keeping you from your heart's true desire!"

He started pouting at her, prompting more laughter. "Bloody hell, love! McGonagall is old enough to be a grandmum! Anyway, I only kissed her cheek because – because I appreciate how much she cares for you."

Ginny grinned at him, reaching out and grabbing his hand. "I'm sorry that I teased you," she smiled, tugging him towards her. "That was sweet of you, and I'd bet it really meant a lot to her."

Sirius leaned down, pressing his lips softly to hers. "Of all the places in this castle that are good for a snog, I don't really find the hospital wing to be one of them," James called out. "It's a little sterile for my liking, and well, it kind of smells."

"I think the smell is your quidditch uniform," Remus interjected as the three friends approach Ginny's bed. "You really ought to have a little courtesy for the rest of us and go change."

"He's got you there, James," Lily agreed, wrinkling her nose at James. "Oh, Gin, you look much better than you did outside. Are you feeling better?"

"I mostly feel fine," Ginny nodded with a wide smile. "A little sore, but according to Madame Pomfrey, even that will go away sooner than later. I'm just glad I caught the snitch. None of Winchester's housemates have even looked in on him. I'd have been right pissed if he'd caught it and no one showed up to see me!"

James grinned. "Well, nearly all of Gryffindor wanted to come and check on you, so McGonagall had to practically seal off the common room doors to get them to stay and enjoy the situation."

Ginny laughed, relaxing into his side when Sirius sat down beside her on the bed. "Well, that's sweet of everyone. Tell them that I'm fine, and that I'll see them at breakfast. I don't think they'll let me leave tonight. You know how cautious they can be."

McGonagall and Dumbledore came through the entrance, but stopped there, whispering to each other. McGonagall kept glancing at the group congregated around Ginny's bed, creating a sense of unease in the pit of Ginny's stomach. Sirius noticed them, too, quickly hopping off the bed. "Think she told him what I did?"

"No, think you're just fine with that, love," Ginny grinned wickedly, earning curious glances from James and Remus. "Never you mind," she told them, ignoring their pleas for information. "It does look serious, doesn't it?"

"Yes, it does," Lily agreed faintly. This wasn't the first they had seen this look on the faces of their professors, and it usually preceded some poor Muggleborn receiving unfortunate and tragic news regarding their families. "I – do you think - ?"

James shook his head. "Don't borrow trouble, Lils. It could be nothing, and you know it."

She shook her head, moaning a little when Dumbledore and McGonagall approached them. Ginny bit her lip, grateful when Sirius took her hand in his.

"Mr. Potter," McGonagall said softly when they got to the group, "Would you please come with us to the headmaster's office? There is something that we need to discuss with you." She glanced at the rest of them, her gaze landing on Sirius. "Mr. Black, you will need to come with us, as well."

James's jaw dropped open at her words, and he seemed incapable of moving. Sirius, after giving Ginny's hand a tight squeeze, stepped towards him. "C'mon, mate, let's go," he said quietly, his hand coming to rest on James's shoulder.

James shook his head. "No, say it here. These are my friends. They can hear this, whatever this is."

"Very well," Professor Dumbledore agreed before McGonagall could protest. "Mr. Potter, your father floo-called me a few moments ago from St. Mungo's. I am so very sorry to tell you that your mother has passed away."

Lily and Ginny both clasped their hands to their mouths in shock, and Lily struggled to hold back her sobs while tears run unchecked down Ginny's cheeks. Remus's eyes slid closed, like he doesn't know what to do or say. Sirius's eyes are wide with shock and horror and pain, and he roughly threw his arms around James from behind in a show of brotherly comfort.

James just stared blankly at the two professors, shock initially overriding all else. "How – what happened to her? She was ill over the summer, but Da told us that she'd be fine! Didn't he, Sirius? He told us that!"

"Mr. Potter," Professor McGonagall sighed as she steps forward, "We do not have the details, I'm afraid. Your father just asked us to get you and Sirius to your house as quickly as possible. We are terribly sorry for your loss."

"Okay," James nodded dumbly, not even realizing that Sirius was basically keeping him upright. "I'll go – Lil!" Immediately, Lily was at his side. "I want Lily to come, too."

McGonagall nodded, obviously having expected that. "We'll figure something out. Miss Evans, why don't you come with us for now. We'll have to contact your parents for permission to leave the castle, but if we can get that, then you may go as well."

Softly, Lily said, "They're connected to the Floo Network. I can call them right now. I'm sure that when they hear what is going on, they'll be fine with me leaving for a few days."

"Very well," Dumbledore nodded, glancing at Remus and Ginny. "Mr. Lupin, perhaps you'd be so kind as to stay and keep Miss Watson company. I'm afraid that we cannot allow all of you to leave the school for this."

"Yes, of course," Remus nodded while Sirius stared at his girlfriend. "I – I know you'll need your prefects here if the Head Boy and Girl have to leave."

"Thank you," Dumbledore returned gravely, giving the young man a tiny, grateful smile. "Well, let us go now. Mr. Potter, I know your father is anxious to see you, and I can only imagine that you feel the same way."

Obviously dazed, James just nodded. "Yeah, yes, of course. Da probably needs me now." He turned to Sirius, the lost expression on his face heartbreaking for all to see. "What do I do? I don't know what I am supposed to do."

Sirius was at a loss on how to help his friend, so Ginny offered, "All you can do is be there, James. Just like we are here for you, if you need anything at all."

Remus stepped forward, wrapping an arm around James's shoulders. "She is right, you know. There isn't anything to do really, aside from helping him however you can. However he needs. I imagine that what he needs most right now is just to have you there."

"Very well said," Dumbledore smiled kindly. "Perhaps you'd like to go pack a few things. You will probably be away from the castle for a few days at least, perhaps a week."

Sirius's gaze flew to Ginny, who nodded at him. After what happened at Christmas, he hated the idea of leaving her alone. He turned to James. "Remus and I can go pack a few things if you want to go with Lil while she Floo-calls her parents." James nodded, and along with the two professors, they left the hospital wing to go get permission for Lily to leave the school.

Remus followed shortly behind them while muttering something about waiting in the hallway. Ginny reached up and brushed the tears off of Sirius's face as he sat down beside her on the bed. Taking his hand in hers, she sighed, "I am so sorry. I know how fond you are of James's parents. I am so sorry for both of you."

"She was more of a mum to me than my own mother ever was," he noted listlessly. "I – I can't believe she's gone. It doesn't seem possible, Gin."

"I know, love," she crooned, opening her arms for him. "It's okay to be upset, Siri. I know that it's hard to lose someone you love."

He buried his face in her neck, clinging tightly to her. "I wish you could come with me," he told her, leaning back and brushing her hair off of her shoulder. "I hate the idea of leaving you here. I _hate_ doing it."

She smiled softly at him, laying a hand on his cheek. "I'll be fine here. I am not one of those witches who needs her wizard with her at all times," she teased. "If that's how you think it is, you are sorely mistaken. You had better think again, mate."

"That's not what I'm worried about and you know it," he returned, softening his slightly harsh tone with a smile. "Gin, my brother is still here. I know that he was the one who attacked you, and it makes me sick that I have to leave you unprotected."

"I know," she tried to soothe him. He didn't appear in the least convince, so she promised, "I'll stick by Remus like we're bound by spellotape, okay? I won't wander off alone, and I certainly won't take any solitary strolls on the grounds."

"Not funny," he warned with a shudder.

She leaned forward, wrapping her arms around his middle. "I wasn't trying for funny. I promise to be careful and on my guard at all times. I also promise that I am going to miss you terribly, and I'll be waiting anxiously for you to come back."

He looked at her appraisingly before nodding reluctantly. "Stay with Remus whenever possible. If you have classes that he's not in, stay with the girls from your dorm. Hex first, ask questions second."

"Fair enough," Ginny agreed, leaning forward to kiss him lightly. "You ought to go now," she sighed. "You need to pack for you and James. Plus, you'll want to inform Remus that he's stuck babysitting me while you're gone." He got a pained look on his face at that, and she smiled slightly. "Well, it's true. I know that's what you'll do next. Probably lecture him all the way to Gryffindor tower about not letting me out of his sight. I wish you wouldn't, but I know you well enough to know that is exactly what you are going to do."

He grinned, kissing her forehead. "I just want you to be safe, love. If I have to be an overbearing git to ensure that, well so be it. I can live with that."

She hugged him tight one last time. "Okay, you go on now. Siri? I love you. Tell James that I am here if he needs anything, okay?"

"I love you, too," he grinned, impulsively giving her a long, deep kiss. "When I get back, we're making plans for another date outside of the castle."

"I'd like that," she beamed. "Go, help Lils take care of James. I'll be fine here, Siri. I promise you that."

"Alright," he agreed, reluctantly moving off the bed. Giving her one last sad smile, he walked out to find Remus perched on one of the benches outside the main doors waiting for him. Giving his friend a weak smile, he nodded when Remus asked if he is okay. "As I can be, I guess."

Remus nodded, understanding. "I cannot believe this happened. Did you even know she was ill? Why didn't they bring James home for Christmas?"

Shrugging, Sirius shook his head. "I don't know," he sighed, with another shake of the head. "I wish I knew. Look, Remus, I have to ask a favor of you, for when I'm gone." Remus smiled widely – and knowingly – at this. "Just stick with her as much as possible, yeah? If she goes off alone, give her hell for me. No one wants to think or talk or even do anything about it, but she was attached and whoever did it is still out there. I know it was Regulus, and knowing him, he wouldn't hesitate to go after her again."

"I'll stick with her whenever possible," Remus promised. "You know that I will be with her whenever I can. She'll be okay. Just go and be there for James, okay?"

"Yeah, okay," Sirius agreed, shooting his friend a grateful smile. "Thanks, Remus. I feel a lot better leaving her knowing that I can count on you to keep an eye on her."

Remus beamed at that, puffing up with a bit of pride. "Thanks, Siri. Be sure that James and Mr. Potter know how sorry I am. Be sure to owl us and let us know how things are going, okay?"

Sirius nodded. "Of course I will. I'm sure that Lily will, too." He glanced over at his friend. "Watch your back, Moony. I don't think Regulus much cares about you, but if he's after Gin, he wouldn't hesitate to go through you to get her. Plus, there's Snape, and he has always had it in for you. With James and I gone…"

"I'll be fine," Remus grinned. "I've got Gin to protect me, and you know that Snape is rather terrified of her. He wouldn't dare do anything more than vaguely taunt me with her around."

"I know that I'm probably making a big deal out of nothing, but I'm worried," Sirius admitted with a wry smile.

"Come on then," Remus sighed quietly. "We'd better get some things packed. And don't worry about things here. Just focus on the people that you think of as family, and take care of them."

Sirius raised an eyebrow at that. "You and Ginevra are family to me, too," he said quietly.

"Thanks," Remus said quietly as he flushed with pleasure. His friends were not serious and open with their emotions very often, but when they were, it always felt like it had been worth the wait.

~*~

As much as Ginny fervently hated that her boyfriend and two of her best friends were out of the castle, she had to admit that it had been rather extraordinary for her school work. Even now she was in the library (where she had been deposited by a couple of seventh year Gryffindor girls), studying as she waited for Remus to show up so they could go on to Charms together. She hated feeling as though she was being babysat, but since both she and Remus had promised, she didn't complain.

Tapping her foot impatiently, she wondered where Remus is. It certainly wasn't like him to be late like this. Not only was it odd that he hadn't arrived earlier enough for them to go over their notes, but if he didn't show up soon, they'd be late for class.

"Oh, stuff it," she muttered to herself, packing up her bag. He probably got sidetracked with Pettigrew after History of Magic, but she'd be damned if she was going let that get her a detention for being late to Charms. Flitwick was lenient, but he wasn't _that_ lenient. Hurrying out of the library as the seconds ticked by, she made the impetuous decision to break one of the main promises she made to Sirius and McGonagall; instead of taking the main corridors that are filled with students and regularly patrolled by professors, she slipped off to take a shortcut that frequently went unused, except by a few older Slytherins and students running from Filch.

She felt guilty for leaving the library rather than waiting on Remus, but it was easy to tell herself that he probably forgot her. He was going to feel _so_ bad when he realized that, she knew. She'd almost feel bad if she wasn't doing such a good job of freaking herself out. Surely it was just her imagination that the corridor she had just turned down seemed darker and colder than the previous one.

Shaking her head at those foolish thoughts, she jumped at a noise behind her, whipping out her wand. "Who's there?" she gasped out. "Answer me, this is not funny!"

All of a sudden, _every_thing is dark. "Lumos!" she whispered harshly. Nothing happens. No light. Why isn't her wand working? "Lumos! Reducto!"

A loud cracking noise confirmed what she didn't want to know – it isn't her wand, it is her eyes. Someone had cast a blinding spell on her, a damn good one, too if the tingling in her eyes was anything to go by. She let loose a stream of curses that would even have a couple of her brothers (well, only Percy and Ron) blushing as she felt for the corridor wall. Obviously someone was here with her, but she wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of her panicking. Not yet, at least. She flinched as she felt someone's breath on the back of her neck.

"What do you want with me?" she asked, the hitch in her voice betraying her fear. "What kind of sick game is this?"

"Does it really matter?" a voice distorted to the point being exceptionally creepy asked, echoing all around her. She wondered briefly why she still had her wand, but since she cannot see him or discern where her attacker was, what harm was her wand? She was certainly not much of a threat. "Why don't you just sit down, Ginevra? Yes, right there on the floor. You can even get down on your knees, since that seems most likely your natural position."

She could feel her cheeks flush at the crude innuendo as she realized what this was. It _probably_ (hopefully, at least) wasn't about causing her any physical harm, but more aimed at scaring her half to death and psychologically traumatizing her to the best of the attacker's ability. "Bloody coward," she muttered, flattening her back against the wall. "Can't even fight a girl without blinding her by attacking her from behind. What kind of coward are you?"

_Crack_! She gasped in pain and surprise as a closed fist slammed into the left side of her face causing her head to snap back hard against the wall. She slid down to the sitting position, clutching at her throbbing cheek. Her attacker leaned down after her, so close that his breath now fanned out over her cheek.

"You stupid little bitch," he roared in that distorted, echo-y voice. "You dare to call me a coward! You know nothing about bravery, walking around so smugly all the time, protected by those fool friends of yours and your traitor boyfriend." He gripped her face between his fingers, squeezing tightly enough that it felt likely to leave bruises. "You will pay for all of it, for all of their sins!"

Shrinking away, she kept her fingers gripped tightly around her wand. She knew that she had a good chance to stun him, but she also knew that she'd do well to wait for just the right moment. When she heard him whisper 'legilimens', she squeezed her hand tightly around her wand trying to focus on her Occlumency shields. She hadn't been expecting this in her terror, so she had to battle past scenes of her friends, family, and Sirius before she expelled him from her mind.

She felt his surprise at that, and so she pressed her advantage, raising her arm and screaming out a stunning spell with all the force and intent of will she can muster. As he flew backwards and slammed into the opposite wall, she kept her wand trained in the direction she thought he went and shot off her bat-bogey hex. She didn't know if it even hit him, but somehow, it made her feel a little bit better knowing the cowardly bastard might have those to deal with as well.

Feeling along the wall, she groaned in frustration as she realized that she had no idea which way she should go to find people the quickest. Between the blinding curse, which she was desperately trying not to think about the implications of, and the general disorientation from the attack, she couldn't figure out which way she ought to go.

Turning in first one direction and then the other, she sent a Patronus message to both Dumbledore and McGonagall detailing her location as best she can. Unable to sit still knowing that her attacker was right there against the other wall, she pushed to her feet, resolutely ignoring the excruciating pain in her cheek and the prickly sensation that was creeping into her eyes. Walking slowly and using her hands on the wall as a guide, she screamed out loud when she tripped over something, falling back to the ground.

"Oh no, oh no, oh no," she whispered as she turned to feel what she has tripped over. It was a body, and while logically she knew that it couldn't be her attacker – he flew to the opposite wall, and she really did knew that – but fear overrode common sense and she scrabbled away quickly. "Finite incantatem," she tried, aiming her wand at her own face. When her sight failed to return, she yelled, "Help! Professor, help!"

She didn't care who came at this point so long as they could get her out of here. Super bonus points if they could lift this bloody blinding spell. "Who the hell are you?" she muttered in the direction of the body she had tripped over, although it could almost certainly be asked of her attacker as well. "It'd be nice if you'd answer me. I cannot see a bloody thing, so I don't know if you're an enemy or not. If you are, you might as well say so. It's only polite, really."

Gasping as she saw tiny pinpricks of light, she held her wand out at the ready. She could hear voices approaching in the distance, so she leaned back against the wall in relief. One of the bodies moaned – the further away one, which was definitely a bad thing. "Oh, please hurry," she moaned, her wand trained in the direction of the noise.

"This isn't over, Watson," that distorted voice once again echoed around her. She cried out when a spell hit her, biting her tongue as an excruciating wave of pain washed over her. The insane berk was using the Cruciatus Curse on her? "You and your friend ran into a spot of luck today, but you can both know that this isn't over."

Ginny moaned at the agonizing pain, wincing as she struggled to sit up. "My f-friend. No, no, Remus, oh, no," she whispered, so confused and disoriented that she could not remember which way the body was that she had fallen over.

The voices were getting closer and closer, and to Ginny's relief she recognized them as McGonagall, Dumbledore, and Madame Pomfrey. "Here," she croaked, slumping to the ground. "We're over here!"

"Ginevra!" McGonagall exclaimed, dropping to the girl's side. "Oh, darling girl, what happened to you."

"Minerva," Dumbledore interrupted before Ginny can answer. "Mr. Lupin is here as well."

"Oh, no, no, no," Ginny muttered, reaching around to feel along the ground as she tried to find her friend. As Madame Pomfrey bent to examine Remus, McGonagall and Dumbledore exchange horrified looks.

McGonagall reached out, grasping Ginny by the arms as Dumbledore bent down beside them. "Ginevra," he began quietly, "Are you unable to see?"

Tears filled her eyes, but Ginny blinked them away before answering. "Some kind of blinding spell or hex, I figure," she responded in a voice that shook tremulously. "I am beginning to see bits of light again, but…that's it. What's wrong with Remus? What did he do to him?"

"Madame Pomfrey is examining him right now," McGonagall answered, wrapping her arms tight around the girl when she sank into her side. "Do you not what happened to him then?" Ginny shook her head.

"Are you able to tell us what happened to you?" Dumbledore asked quietly, concern evident as he looked at the rapidly bruising and swelling cheek and jaw of Miss Watson. "Do you know who did this?"

Ginny shook her head, her lower lip quivering so violently that it made McGonagall wonder what it was costing the girl to hold her emotions in like that. "I didn't see. There was a noise behind me, which might've been Remus being levitated there – well, I don't know that for sure. It was so confusing. By the time I turned back around, he'd hit me with the blinding spell," she related bitterly. "I thought that there was something wrong with my wand at first because I tried lumos, and nothing happened. Then I tried reducto, and I could hear it work. So I knew it was my eyes."

McGonagall pulled her closer, rocking her a little. "Are you in pain? You said you were seeing light; do your eyes hurt, too?"

"It…feels like when you've sat on your leg too long, all prickly or tingly, but it doesn't really hurt," Ginny explained. "He hit me, right on the face with his fist closed, I think. He was yelling…something – no, he – well, I don't remember," she lied, not wanting to admit to Dumbledore that she had learned enough Occlumency to force someone out of her mind. "When he was close enough, I stunned him. I shot another hex his way, but I don't think that one hit him. Is Remus okay?"

"You did fine, Ginevera," McGonagall soothed her as the girl continued to shake in her arms. "Remus will be fine as well."

Sitting up a little straighter and wrapping her arms around herself, Ginny nodded. "Did I hurt him when I tripped over him?"

Madame Pomfrey frowned at Dumbledore, and McGonagall, her lips pursing as she tried to figure out how best to answer. "He'll be fine, my dear. I'm going to take him to the hospital wing now to see if I can't just bring him around." She turned to Dumbledore. "I trust you'll bring Miss Watson along straightaway?"

"Of course," Dumbledore agreed with a smile. He pulled a coin out of his pocket, murmuring, "Portus. Here, Poppy. If Mr. Lupin is able, portkey might be the easiest way to travel for now. We shall follow along very shortly." Once Madame Pomfrey and Remus were gone, Dumbledore and McGonagall turned their attention back to Ginny. "My dear, if you can tell us what you know…"

"Okay," Ginny agreed, reaching up to rub at her eyes. "I can make out shadows and some shapes now. Anyway. After I stunned him, I tried to find my way out of here. I – I couldn't remember which way I should go, though. I just picked, guessed really, a direction, and was following along the wall when I tripped over Remus."

"When did you send your Patronus message to us?" McGonagall asked.

Ginny frowned, struggling to remember. "I – I don't know," she admitted, feeling foolish. "I don't remember if that was before or after I tripped over Remus."

McGonagall smoothed Ginny's hair back. "You're doing well, Ginevra. We know that this was a very confusing and frightening experience for you; we don't expect you to remember all the details perfectly and clearly. Just do the best you can."

"I – when I tripped over Remus, I thought it might be _him_. That wasn't possible because I hadn't changed walls, but still. It scared me. Then _he_ started waking up and – and he used the Cruciatus Curse on me!" McGonagall's eyes widened in horror and anger, and Dumbledore's shoulders dropped in akin to resignation. "Did he use it on Remus, too? Is that why he isn't waking up?"

"It is possible," Dumbledore concurred, ignoring McGonagall's glare of disapproval. "Miss Watson, I would like to you get to the hospital wing now. Will you be fine to travel with a portkey? Minerva and I will be with you the whole time."

She gave him a tremulous smile, breathing a little easier as her vision continued to improve. "Yes, I can. I think that I can even stand now."

McGonagall helped her to do so, keeping both arms around Ginny for support. "Nonetheless, you will hold onto me," McGonagall informed her. "Once we get there, you will get right into the bed that Madame Pomfrey has no doubt already prepared for you."

Ginny nodded her agreement, in no shape or state of mind to argue with a soft, comfortable, and warm bed right now. "But I have to see Remus first. I have to know that he's okay, and I need to know what happened to him. H-he didn't move at all," she whispered. "He really will be okay, won't he?"

"I believe that Mr. Lupin will recover from his injuries just fine. Now, if you will both take a hold of this rope, we can go see how he is doing," Dumbledore smiled, holding out the bit of rope he'd pulled off a curtain.

Groaning at the familiar tugging sensation, Ginny squeezed her eyes tightly shut, concentrating on keeping her feet under her. They landed easier, and Ginny managed an inward smile at the idea of asking Dumbledore to quit his job as Headmaster and work in the Ministry's portkey office. As soon as things stopped spinning, she rushed over to Remus's bed where she can just make out Madame Pomfrey hovering.

Without even looking up, Madame Pomfrey said, "Miss Watson, if you would lie down on the next bed, I will tell you, the Headmaster, and Professor McGonagall what I have found so far."

"Why isn't he awake?" Ginny asked even as she obeyed and climbed onto her assigned bed. "Was the Cruciatus Curse used on him, too? He _will_ wake up, won't he?"

"Of course he will," Madame Pomfrey assured her briskly. "How did you know that the Cruciatus Curse was – oh, you said too! It was used on you?"

Dumbledore's shoulders slumped further, and Ginny could not help but feel sorry for him. It wasn't any secret how he felt about protecting his students, and there was no doubt this was viewed as a failure by him. "Yes," he answered Madame Pomfrey, "It was also used on Miss Watson, unfortunately." He shook his head. "If I'd been in my office then, my dark detectors ought to have alerted me. I'll have to figure something out…" He shook his head again as if to draw himself out of his daze. "I do not think Miss Watson was held under the curse nearly as long as Mr. Lupin."

Madame Pomfrey. "Mr. Lupin was held under it for several moments at least. I think he'll be fine, but it…well, it will make this coming weekend even more difficult."

Ginny's brow furrowed as she tried to figure out what Madame Pomfrey meant. "Oh, it's the full moon on Saturday," she whispered, drawing a shocked look from Madame Pomfrey and one of merely mild surprise from Dumbledore. "Yes, I know."

"Your boyfriend is a dead man then," Remus croaked from his bed without even opening his eyes. The others sagged in relief. "He has a terribly large mouth."

"No, he didn't tell me," Ginny assured him as she slid off her bed, promptly tripping over a chair. She ignored Madame Pomfrey as she shuffled over to Remus's bed. "Bloody – oh, sorry. That _hurt_. I wish this stupid blinding hex would wear off already."

Remus gasped as Dumbledore helped Ginny to sit on the edge of his bed. "Wh – what happened? Did you leave the library without anyone to walk you, Gin? You promised!"

She sighed, patting along the bed until she found his hand to pat. "You're right, I was stupid," she conceded. "What happened to you, Remus?"

"There will be plenty of time for that later," Madame Pomfrey interrupted, waving her wand at both of them. "Both of you need some serious medical attention, and I will not allow it to be put off further. Albus, please run a diagnostic spell on Miss Watson. See if there is more damage than we can see or are aware of now. Minerva, perhaps you could clean her up. There's blood on her face, and she really ought to be in bed."

McGonagall and Dumbledore both sprung into action, hurrying to follow Madame Pomfrey's orders. Remus managed to finally open his eyes, taking in the damage done to Ginny. "My word, Ginevra. What did he do to you?"

"I will put you in separate rooms," Madame Pomfrey snapped, her fingers tapping against her wand as she again trained it on them. "You were both held under the Cruciatus Curse. Miss Watson was also hit with a blinding curse, and…well, fists. You, Mr. Lupin, are in no better shape. How many kicks to the ribs did you take?"

"I was kicked?" Remus asked. "Huh, I guess that happened after I passed out."

Unable to help herself, Ginny felt a ridiculous giggle bubble up and out of her mouth. "You were lucky then," she said with a slightly hysterical tinge to her voice. "I couldn't see a blasted thing, but I could hear him and – and – well, I think you were lucky."

McGonagall glared at both of them. "Well, I fail to see any luck in this situation at all. Both of you, held under the Cruciatus Curse and terrorized, physically beaten and threatened. Lucky, indeed!" she sniffed.

"Well, we are both still alive," Remus got out with much effort as the pain threatened to overwhelm him.

"True enough, Mr. Lupin," Dumbledore smiled, his eyes twinkling enthusiastically. "Miss Watson, is you sight beginning to return now?"

She nodded slightly. "It's getting there, sir. Professor, what are you doing about finding the person responsible for this? He could have k-killed us if he'd wanted to," she pointed out, her voice shaking. "I – I get the impression that he won't stop coming after us. He _told _me that it wasn't over. He _said_ so!"

Dumbledore gave her a sharp nod, turning to McGonagall. "Yes. Minerva, would you please have all Heads of House gather their students immediately in their respective common rooms? I want to know who is missing and who appears to be injured. After that, I will need a list from all teachers of any students who may have been missing from class. We'll also need to gather any students who did not have class at this time. This is…not going to be easy."

McGonagall nodded briskly, sparing warm looks for her students. "I am very glad that you are both alright. Albus, I will get back to you as soon as I have something to report."

"Thank you," Dumbledore nodded solemnly. McGonagall gave Ginny's hand a squeeze before hurrying off. Dumbledore turned to the two students. "Do either of you have any idea who has done this to you? Miss Watson, I know that Mr. Regulus Black made certain remarks that would lead one to believe he was responsible for the first attack on you. Is it possible that he was your attacker tonight? Please, only tell me that if you know for sure. A false accusation…"

"I cannot say that he was or was not," Ginny sighed tiredly. "I couldn't see a thing, and his voice was distorted. I didn't – well, I'm rather rubbish at this getting attacked thing, eh? Never seem to notice anything that is actually useful in terms of identifying the attacker. You'd think I could at least manage that."

Remus stared at her intently from his bed. "Don't say that, Gin. No one expects you to be perfect, and let's face it, whoever did this had the element of surprise on his side. You did nothing wrong." He sighed, shooting a wry grin her way even though he knew she would not see it. "Well, you shouldn't have gone wandering about on your own, but other than that…."

Ginny scoffed at that, and Dumbledore reached out to kindly pat her on the hand. Both his and Remus's shoulders sagged when she flinched away from the touch. "Sorry, I'm sorry," Ginny whispered. "I'm – I still can't see that well, and I reacted without thinking. I'm sorry. I am okay, I swear."

"Don't talk like that," Remus ordered her gruffly, earning a wide smile from Dumbledore. "You fought the bastard – sorry, Professor, Madame Pomfrey – you fought him off!" He struggled to sit up, smiling gratefully when Dumbledore motioned for Madame Pomfrey to let him be. Struggling, he managed to get out of his bed and shuffle over to Ginny's. "I'm going to sit down on your bed, okay? Now, I'm going to touch your hand." She nodded her permission, but it broke the other three occupants' hearts to see her lower lip wobble as she seemed dangerously close to tears.

"Maybe when I can see again it will be better," she ventured doubtfully. She couldn't imagine that it won't be a very long time before she didn't flinch and cower in fear under unexpected touches.

"Of course it will," Dumbledore assured her. "Miss Watson, whoever did this to you took away most of your control, yet you still bested him quite thoroughly. You did quite marvelously."

The words, so close to what the Headmaster had said to her after the Chamber, nearly undid her, but Remus squeezed her hand, distracting her. She clung tightly to his, grateful for the lifeline he was providing. "See? You were great. Sirius is going to be so proud of you, you know. James and Lily, too."

She shook her head tiredly, managing a small smile. "He'll be mad that I went off on my own again. He made me promise, and I broke it. Maybe we don't have to tell him?" she suggested hopefully.

"You know we can't hide this from him," Remus chided gently. "We should definitely wait to mention it until they get back, though. James and Lily will want to come back, too, and I don't want to take them away from their mourning."

Ginny nodded her reluctant agreement. "Well, if they have to find out, that's the best way for it, I suppose. If he found out sooner, Sirius would be back here with his wand drawn immediately."

"Splendid," Dumbledore smiled, nodding at Madame Pomfrey. "Now that we have settled that, Mr. Lupin I must insist that you return to your bed. You still look decidedly unwell, and Madame Pomfrey has a tray of potions ready for you. Miss Watson, you have not received any attention yet from our fine healer."

"Yes, yes," Madame Pomfrey agreed, stepping in to usher Remus back to his bed. "I have several potions for you as well, Miss Watson. Then I intend for you both to get significant amounts of sleep."

Dumbledore moved to Remus's bedside as the boy settled back in. "Before the dreamless sleep draught is administered, perhaps you could tell me what you remember."

"I – not much that will help," Remus sighed. "I always take the same route from History of Magic to the library, but today I stopped to help a first or second year Hufflepuff and was running late as a result. I took a shortcut through those side corridors that no one really ever uses. There is a recessed door about thirty meters past the tapestry of the Bloody Pharaohs. Whoever he was, he jumped out of there and levitated me up by my ankle. I hit my head on the wall – oh, not hard. He called – called me a filthy half-breed, and then started in on how my type is despicable and should all be killed."

"How dare he!" Ginny exclaimed, fuming in outrage on her friend's behalf.

Remus smiled wryly. "Well, that didn't seem so bad when he started using the Cruciatus Curse on me next. He must've done that until I blacked out."

Horrified by this – by all of this and so many other things that were taking place in their world, Dumbledore stood. "I'm so sorry that you had to experience that, Mr. Lupin. You as well, Miss Watson. These are not things that I wish for any of my students, and I am so terribly sorry that I could not protect you both from them."

Blinking as her vision cleared further, Ginny smiled at Dumbledore. "Sadly Professor, none of us can be protected forever. I think that I can speak for Remus and say that he and I both know this as well as anyone does."

"Be that as it may, I am still sorry. These things should not happen under my watch." Dumbledore smiled sadly. "They shouldn't happen at all."

"No, they shouldn't," Ginny agreed, "But they do and they probably will continue. There will always be those that are close-minded and evil. As much as we might wish otherwise, I don't know that those will ever completely go away."

Dumbledore sighed as he moved toward the door. "You are right, Miss Watson. I fear that knowing it will never make it a less bitter pill to swallow." He smiled at them both. "Well, I bid you both a good night. I have some professors to go meet with now."

Ginny and Remus didn't even have a chance to speak before Madame Pomfrey was bustling back in with even more potions. Remus groaned, glancing over at his friend. He had a million things to ask her, and there were a million details and theories that they could obsess over together. He didn't want to push her, though. Seeing as she looked as awful as he felt with her bruised, bloodied, and swollen face and her unfocused yes, he wasn't even sure what he should say to her. He was more than a little tempted to owl Sirius – they could both use friends right now, and he was pretty sure she wouldn't have a moment of peace of until her boyfriend was back.

Frowning at Madame Pomfrey, Ginny grudgingly swallowed all of her potions except the dreamless sleep draught. "Can we hold off on these?" she asked nicely. "I just want to talk for awhile. Please?"

"Out of the question," was the response that she got. "Being held under the Cruciatus is nothing to trifle with. Mr. Lupin needs rest, and so do you. Now, swallow them down."

They both do as ordered, falling asleep before the healer even left their sides.


	16. Flash Point

A/N: Don't own these characters, but I've masterminded the situations in which they currently find themselves. Thanks for reading – and for reviewing!

**Chapter Sixteen – **_**Flash Point**_

He knew that was selfish, but Sirius kept finding himself wishing that they could get a move on with the funeral arrangements. There was no denying that he was both a comfort and help to James and Mr. Potter, but he still felt overly worthless as he spent most of his time thinking and worrying about Ginevra.

He missed her, more than he cared to admit to anyone. He wasn't embarrassed by it, but it was theirs, his and Ginny's. Talking about it with others seemed wrong somehow, even if the others were two of his best friends. That wasn't to take away from their roles in his life, but Ginny and his vast feelings for her were not to be served up as a conversation topic. Some things were private and special, and they deserved to be kept that way.

"How are you holding up?" Lily asked, eying him critically as she stepped into the living room. "You look awful."

"Ah, Lils, your sweet words of support really touch my heart. They mean _so_ much to me!" Sirius trilled dramatically. "I'm honored, really I am."

She rolled her eyes at him, sitting beside him on the sofa. "You can be so dramatic sometimes, Black. Rather like the girls in my dorm." He let out a snort of laughter, cheering her immensely. "How are you doing, really? You don't have to pretend, either. We all know that you're mooning over Gin. It really is a shame that she and Remus couldn't come. I know you miss her, and we could all use them around right about now."

"Of course I miss my girlfriend, but I can handle being apart from her for a week. It'd just be…easier if it wasn't at a time like this. Mrs. Potter wasn't my mother, but she was still the best mother figure I ever had. It would just…well, I've seen you help James this week. I wish Gin was here for me, that's all."

"Yeah," Lily nodded in agreement. "I wish that she and Remus were here. Things like this are always a little easier when you have your loved ones around."

"My family," Sirius blurted out. "They're my family. I mean, you guys, _all_ of you are my family. It would be nice if we were all together."

A flippant remark was on the tip of her tongue because that was just who they were, but sensing his sincerity, she didn't say it. "If we're all a family, does that make me your pesky younger sister?"

He grinned back. "No, I'd be more inclined to say that you are the know-it-all, pain in the arse old biddy aunt," he smirked, yelping when she pinched him hard on the underside of his upper arm. "That bloody hurt!"

Lily just raised an eyebrow in response. "Good, that was a rude thing to say. I am certainly not a know-it-all. Maybe a bit of a stickler for the rules, but I'm not a know-it-all."

"Fine, fine," Sirius grinned. "I guess you are a little sister to me. It certainly is fun to tease you. Except when you get violent. No fun in that." He cut off at a tapping on the window. "'Nother owl. Your turn to let it in."

She rolled her eyes, but moved off the couch to the window. As she pulled the curtain back, she gasped and took a step back. "Okay, that is the creepiest owl I have ever seen."

Sirius craned his head, glancing over the back of the sofa to see. He had to agree; the owl was black as night with inky black eyes that stared coldly at him. It just _looked_ mean. "Careful there," he cautioned Lily as she opened the window to receive yet another condolence letter. "He looks like a biter."

"It does, doesn't it?" she agreed as she cautiously reached out for the letter that the owl was holding out to her. "I think he's glaring at me."

"At least the nasty little creeper isn't sticking around," Sirius noted as the owl immediately turned and flew off the windowsill. "My mother would absolutely love that owl."

Lily moved to set the envelope down with the others, but as she turned it over, the addressee caught her eye. The name on the front was spelled to look as if it were letters cut from a newspaper, like in old Muggle movies. "It's addressed to you," she whispered, a feeling of dread settling in the pit of her stomach.

His eyes were wide, and they both pretended not to notice how his hand shook as he took the folded parchment from her. "Who would send me a letter here?" he asked rhetorically.

"I don't know anyone who would send you a letter like _that_," she answered faintly, "But I reckon you ought to open it and find out, right? Kill the suspense, won't you?"

"I don't want to open it," he admitted, laughing nervously. "I don't like how this feels. I can't shake the feeling that…"

"That something bad is in there," Lily finished grimly.

"What could be worse than what is already going on?" James wondered as he entered the room.

Sirius held the letter up for James to see. "The strangest owl I have ever seen just delivered this letter for me; and you know what kinds of owls my family prefers. Can you imagine?"

James shrugged, smiling into Lily's hair when she stepped into his arms. "It is strange, mate, but I don't know why you're acting so strange over a bloody letter. Just open it, I say. It's probably from your mother, denouncing you again or some such rubbish."

"That's a chipper thought," Sirius muttered, taking a deep breath and sliding a finger under the flap of the envelope. His face drained of all color and his eyes widened as he scanned the contents of the letter. "Fuck! Bloody _fucking_ hell!"

"What?" Lily gasped, whirling around to stare at him. "What is it?"

He gave them the letter, his options running through his head. He could go pack, or at least grab the necessaries or he could just immediately jump in the floo. Yes, that's what he ought to do; his possessions didn't mean a bloody thing right now.

James cursed as he finished the letter, and Lily just stared at it as tears filled her eyes. "How – maybe this is a hoax," James cautioned Sirius. "It could be nothing. In fact, it probably is nothing!"

"Right," Lily agreed half-heartedly. "I'm sure this is just a cruel joke on someone's part. They just want to mess with you. Why don't I floo-call the Headmaster and make sure?"

"I'll go pack," Sirius bit out. "It's not going to be a hoax, I can tell you now. I need to know that they're alright." He ran his hands through his hair, his breathing a little ragged. "I – Prongs, I have to go back. If they're – if either of them….the Cruciatus! Someone used the Cruciatus Curse on them!"

Lily rubbed Sirius's arm as the tears spilled down her cheeks. "It could be a hoax. A prank! Maybe someone that you pranked once thought it would be funny to get back at you, and they came up with this."

Moving to the fireplace, James used his wand to start a fire. Grimly, he dropped down to his knees. "I'm flooing Dumbledore now. Lil, would you get my da? He'll need to know that we're leaving. Siri, go pack your things. I'm sure Dumbledore will let us through. Lily, you should pack, too." They both ran off to do as told, which seemed completely shocking to James. They never listened to him. Sighing, he stuck his head into the fireplace. "Hogwarts, headmaster's office."

On the other end of the floo, the four heads of house and the Headmaster all turned towards the fireplace. To say that it was a surprise to see their Head Boy in the flames, uncharacteristically dour and disturbed looking, was an overwhelming understatement.

McGonagall recovered from the surprise first. "Mr. Potter, why ever are you floo calling? Is everything alright – as it can be under the circumstances – at home?"

"I-it's – well, no, it isn't," James sighed. "Sirius received an owl that said there was an attack on Ginny and Remus. You have to tell me that the owl was just someone's sick version of a prank because I've never seen Sirius this shaken, and Lily is crying. They're both packing now to floo back to school."

"Ah, I'm sorry to say that this letter Mr. Black received was not a joke, James," Dumbledore answered, his casual address of James surprising everyone in the room. "Your friends were indeed attacked, not long ago. That was what we are discussing now, as a matter of fact."

James squeezed his eyes shut at that, shaking his head. "What happened to them? How bad is it? Are they hurt? Is it…worse?"

McGonagall knelt down in front of the fireplace. "They will both be fine. They are resting in the hospital wing, and there will be no – "

She was cut off when James's head disappeared and, seconds later, Sirius Black tumbled out of the floo, wild-eyed with panic. "Hospital Wing? Okay, I'll go there now."

"No, you absolutely will not, Mr. Black," McGonagall, who had barely moved out of his way before he spilled out, countered. "I will immobilize you. If you'd prefer that did not happen, then sit down. As I am sure your friends will be right behind you, we shall wait for them. Have a glass of tea and relax; your friends will fully recover."

Sirius stared at her, incredulity written all over his face. "My girlfriend and best friend are lying injured in the hospital wing, and you want me to sit down for tea? There is no way that I am going to sit here with my thumb up my – "

"Mr. Black," Dumbledore tried to interrupt. "Please do not do anything to make this situation worse. Getting yourself in trouble would indeed make things worse." Sirius managed to get himself under some semblance of control. "Thank you," Dumbledore nodded appreciatively. "Now, as Professor McGonagall has said, both Miss Watson and Mr. Lupin will recover fully. They are sleeping now, and Madame Pomfrey has already stated, quite clearly indeed, that there will be no visitors until morning. That is not negotiable, unfortunately."

"But I need to see them," Sirius argued angrily. "I need to know – " He was cut off when the fireplace flares up and Lily and James step out.

Lily looked around, frowning. "Why are we here? Where are Ginny and Remus? Are they going to be okay?"

Before James could jump in with whatever contribution he might have, McGonagall silenced them all by standing up and ordering them to sit. They all did as ordered immediately, much to Dumbledore's amusement. "You all need to calm down immediately," McGonagall snapped. "Now, I know that you are frightened and worried, but you cannot behave this way. All three of you know better. Honestly, flooing into the Headmaster's Office without permission. The nerve and gall that must take is unimaginable. This is unacceptable behavior, and I hope you know how disappointed I am in each of you."

She paused as she took a deep breath, eying each of them carefully. "That being said, I certainly understand your concern for your friends and frustrations with the situation. I am sure that receiving a note like that was terribly disconcerting."

"Horrifying," Sirius corrected her gravely. "It was horrifying not knowing…well, we didn't know anything. What _happened_, Professor? When can I – we – see them?"

"Sirius," McGonagall sighed, all irritation draining out of her as the obvious distress of the children in front of her. "We really do understand how hard this is; do you think it was easy for us when we received Patronus messages from Ginevra alerting us to her trouble?"

"May I see the note that you received?" Dumbledore asked, looking at Sirius expectantly. "Perhaps we can run a few spell and trace it back to its sender."

Sirius, despite his frustration with not being able to see his friends, to get his hands on Ginny, produced the letter immediately. "I'm sorry to be so persistent, but Sir, please let us go see our friends. None of us will be okay until we see them and know for sure that they are okay. Please, professors."

McGonagall reached out to take his hands as Dumbledore examined the letter. "Ginevra will be just fine, Mr. Black. Mr. Lupin will be fine as well. Let's check on this letter that you received, and the Headmaster and I will fill you in on what we know after that. I will speak to Madame Pomfrey about the possibility of a visit tonight, if only to look in on them."

Before Sirius could protest and wreck the offer, James jumped in. "That sounds fair, Professor McGonagall. We do not want hinder Remus or Gin's recoveries in anyway, but we would like to see that they're alright."

"Arse kisser," Sirius muttered out the side of his mouth, for James's ears only. "I do want to know what happened. Did my brother do this?"

"Unfortunately, we do not know who did this," Dumbledore acknowledged grimly. "Mr. Lupin was attacked from behind, and when he saw his attacker, he was not seeing quite straight and his attacker was wearing a mask."

Lily raised an eyebrow at that. "What curse was used?"

"It was the Cruciatus Curse," Dumbledore sighed, surprised that it is only stunned silence that greeted that bit of information. "He will recover fully from that agony, I assure you."

"The Cruciatus Curse?" James repeated dumbly. "Someone used the Cruciatus on Moony? Who could do such a thing to Moony?"

Sirius shook his head. "How can he be okay? That – that's not a curse that you just get up and walk away from if held under it for very long, sir. I don't…who would do such a thing?"

McGonagall eyed him with some surprise. "How do you know so much about the Cruciatus Curse, Mr. Black? That is not something that our defense curriculum goes into great detail about."

"My father used it on my – a house elf," was all that he responded with. Dumbledore's face dropped at that, and McGonagall closed her eyes in horror. Even James was looking as his best friend in shock.

"Mr. Black – _Sirius_, you should also know that the curse was used on Ginevra as well," McGonagall told him. Sirius paled, swaying woozily in his chair. "She was not held under it long at all, and she will be perfectly fine. Sh-she was also hit with a blinding curse that has already started wearing off. We can only guess that whoever did this wanted to scare and terrorize her as much or more than they actually wanted to hurt her."

Sirius buried his face in his hand. "A blinding curse? The Cruciatus? How could this happen? Oh, Godric, I need to see her – them – now. We all do," he insisted fervently. "They should know that we are here for them, even if all we can do is sit there and hold their hands. Please, professors."

Closing his eyes, Dumbledore nodded tiredly. "I think he is right, Minerva. I am sure that both of our patients would appreciate the company, especially when they wake up. As long as you all behave and do not disturb them, there should be no problem. Minerva?"

Looking at the three distraught young adults in front of her and the thinking of the two lying in the hospital wing, McGonagall nodded. There was no way that she could deny any of them this comfort. Judging by the distraught looks on their face, they would not be giving in, anyway.

"It is fine with me if Madame Pomfrey gives her permission as well. As much as they protested us contacting the three of you considering the circumstances, I know that they will be exceedingly glad to see you. It will be of great comfort to them."

"Thank you," James spoke up, looking as shaken as he had when they told him of his mother's passing. "I cannot believe that something like this could happen inside the school."

"We are already taking steps to ensure that nothing like this happens again," Dumbledore assured them. "I know that doesn't help much considering, but for now it is the best we can do."

Lily nodded sadly. "Unfortunately, it seems as though a tragedy always precipitates change or reform in things like this. Not that this is really a tragedy," she hastened to add, "Since both will be fine."

Patting her hand, Dumbledore nodded. "Why don't we floo to the hospital wing? As these three are thought to be out of the castle, perhaps we can keep that perception in place a little longer." McGonagall eyed him appraisingly as she wondered his possible reasoning for that, but did not say anything. "Let us go then. Minerva, why don't you go first."

"Of course. I will see you all shortly. Remember, this is contingent upon the three of you behaving appropriately, is that understood?" They all nodded their agreement, and she gave them a curt nod in return before stepping into the flames and disappearing.

To the surprise of everyone, Sirius motioned for Lily and James to go ahead of him. When they are out of sight, he turned to Dumbledore. "Sir, if this was my brother – "

Raising his hand, Dumbledore cut Sirius off before he could work up a full head of steam. "We have not found your brother – and a few students from each house – since the attacks. While that does not prove guilt, we are looking for him specifically."

Relieved, Sirius gave him a grateful smile. "Thank you for not dismissing my brother as the culprit. I know what he is capable of, what he was taught to do, and that…that is this. He could have done this." He glanced towards the fireplace. "How bad is she, really?"

"She is a very strong young lady, Mr. Black," Dumbledore smiled. "Do you know, I do not believe she has shed a tear in this. She a rather remarkable job fighting off her attacker before any real damage was done to herself or Mr. Lupin. I will warn you that there are bruises on her face. The potions that are given to offset some of the effects of the Cruciatus Curse cannot be used with the potions that would heal her bruises."

"He hit her then," Sirius noted tonelessly, his eyes squeezed tightly shut. "I should go to her, she might need me."

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, you should."

"Thank you, sir. For telling me, I mean." He gave the Headmaster a grim smile before stepping into and disappearing in the flames.

"You are welcome, Mr. Black," Dumbledore responded to the empty room. "I am just sorry that I did not prevent this horror altogether."

The fireplace roared back to life, and Professor McGonagall stepped gracefully out. "Well, they are settled in now. Both Ginevra and Mr. Lupin are sleeping peacefully, and the other three are furiously exchanging whispered conspiracy theories. That is a little disturbing, actually."

Dumbledore nodded, watching her carefully. "How are you holding up, Minerva? This has been a very trying afternoon, has it not?"

"Yes, it has been difficult," she agreed quietly, summoning a tea set over to where they sat. "I suppose that the most troublesome aspect now is that we don't know who did it. Not for sure, at least."

"It concerns me greatly that Mr. Regulus Black is missing," Dumbledore admitted somberly. "I do not like to think the worst of anyone, particularly one so young, but his brother's reasoning is sound. It makes senses that this could be Regulus."

"The things those boys must have seen growing up," McGonagall whispered, shaking her head slightly. "How Sirius has managed to overcome so much of that, I will never know."

Smiling slightly, Dumbledore nodded. "It is a marvelous thing, is it not?"

"He's a good boy," McGonagall said. "He has many faults, and I'm sure several of his teachers would disagree, but he really is a good boy. Boy, ha. Who am I kidding? None of them are children anymore, are they?"

"I fear that the remainder of their growing up will be done very quickly, too," Dumbledore murmured pensively. "I fear that this thing with the so-called Lord Voldemort is not going away very soon. They – all of us – will be forced to choose sides, to make tough decisions."

McGonagall leaned forward in her chair. "And you fear that this is going to be worse than – well, than it already is. What are we talking about, Albus? The Ministry is already overtaxed as it is, and if this gets much worse, how will they be able to cope?" she asked him in an unabashed attempt to prod for information on the Order of the Phoenix. If he had already started it, then perhaps now he would include her. If not, then with a little luck, she had planted the seed. "There must be something that we can do to combat Voldemort and his Death Eaters."

Dumbledore smiled faintly. "I have been working on ideas concerning that," he told her openly. "You are right in that the Ministry is already stretched dangerously thing. I have considered forming a group that would not be affiliated with the Ministry. Here is much to consider before doing that, though."

"Well, you know that you can count on me when the time comes," she promised him earnestly. "I am ready to help in anyway that I can."

"Thank you, Minerva. For the record, I never doubted that for a second."

~*~

"When do you think they will wake up?" James asked, squirming a little in his chair beside Remus's bed. "It is nearly _noon_, after all. I like a good lie-in as much as the next person, but this is a bit excessive, don't you think?"

Sirius looked away from Ginny's face long enough to roll his eyes at his friend while Lily scoffed in frustration. "Really, James, you've been whining about this for the last several hours. They'll wake up when they are ready and able, yeah?"

James sighed, shrugging. "Yeah, I know. It's just hard to believe that they're definitely okay when they've been sleeping for over twenty hours."

"They're both perfectly fine, James," Lily reminded him. "I know that it would be more comforting if they woke up, but if they sleep, then let it be. Besides, every time she has come in, Madame Pomfrey has pointed out that this length of sleep is needed and to be expected."

"Yeah," James agreed glumly, watching as his best friend clung to Ginny's hand. He tried to imagine how he'd feel if it were Lily lying there, but he found that too hard to even guess at. He supposed that it would be a millions worse than this, and this was plenty bad for all of them. Maybe this would have been easier if he wasn't simultaneously dealing with the loss of his mum and worrying over his father.

Lily moved behind James, wrapping her arms tightly around him. "I know it's hard, James. This on top of everything else…it's just not fair. I know that." He tipped his head back, giving Lily a tight smile. "We'll get through it, you know. Whatever happens, we are going to get through it and be okay."

He leaned his head back against her chest, sighing as her long hair brushed his shoulders. "Thanks, Lils," he murmured, truly grateful for her presence, love, and support. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Likewise, James."

Sirius was about to tell them to take their mush out into the hall when Ginny began to stir under his hands. He backed off a bit, suddenly worried that his touch might be painful to her. "Gin? Wake up, love," he pled softly. "It's time for you to open those pretty eyes and put me out of my misery."

Her eyes did open, and she blinked a few times as the world shifted back into focus. "Oh, thank Merlin," she whispered fervently. "I could see a little before I fell asleep, but I was still worried." She sat up, leaning forward to throw her arms tightly around Sirius. "I'm so bloody glad I am that I can see you, Black! We told McGonagall not to bother you, but _oh_ I am happy that you're here."

He held her to him tightly, burying his face in her hair. "You two had me worried," he whispered in her ear. "You had all of us worried, Gin. You don't know how scary it was to get that awful note."

"Note?" she asked, wriggling so close to him that she was more on his lap than on her bed. She smiled at Lily and James, who were letting them have their moment, over his shoulder. "What note are you talking about? We both asked McGonagall and Dumbledore not to contact you, but I am glad that they did."

"Actually, they didn't contact us," James supplied helpfully since Sirius seemed unwilling to remove his face from Ginny's neck. "Sirius received an anonymous letter bragging about the attacks. It's quite crazy."

"I'm sorry,' Ginny whispered, horrified thinking of what her friends must have gone through in getting the news that way. "That must've been awful."

Sirius hugged her tightly to him. "You have no idea, love. Not knowing if you were okay, not knowing how Remus was. It wasn't even much better after we got here and Dumbledore and McGonagall filled us in on what happened. I just needed to see your eyes so bad, beautiful." He leaned back far enough to beam proudly at her. "Professor Dumbledore said you didn't shed a single tear. I never figured you did, though. I know how tough my girl is."

She rolled her eyes at that. "I'm not hardly tough at all," she countered, her voice soft. "I've spent plenty of time crying like a child. Besides, I was too bloody scared to cry. That was…worse, I think." She leaned back, settling tiredly into her pillows. "Why haven't you said 'I told you so' yet?"

"Never even crossed my mind," Sirius bragged falsely. Lily and James rolled their eyes at the blatant lie, and Ginny giggled in amusement. "Okay, fine. I might have mentioned a time or two that I knew something was going to happen, but really, that was the least of my concerns."

"Too right," James chimed with a wide smile, "All that any of us cared about was you and Remus and making sure that both of you were safe and okay."

Ginny cast a sad glance Remus's way. "He was held under the Cruciatus Curse for a good while. He didn't know how long, but Madame Pomfrey figures that it was at least several minutes. I cannot imagine how he withstood that," she whispered, wrapping her arms around her middle. "He cursed him from behind, too! How anyone could be so cowardly and cruel is quite beyond me. You know, he seemed rather upset when I pointed out his cowardice."

Sirius's eyebrows shot up at that as he turned a rather eye-catching shade of purple. "What do you mean you pointed out his cowardice?" he asked tersely, his barely restrained frustration lending a very derisive edge to his words. "What the bloody hell were you think, Gin? You cannot _possibly_ be so stupid as to taunt the madmen who had hit you with a blinding curse!" At that, and an answering scowl from Ginny that promised a heated exchange, Lily and James shared a look before hurrying from the room. "What is wrong with you?"

"This second, what is wrong with me is that my boyfriend is acting like a self-righteous prick!" she huffed indignantly. "I cannot believe you are scolding me over my attack etiquette. That is some nerve you have, Black!"

"No, you don't get to shame me out of my anger this time, Ginevra! I sure as hell get to be upset with you for risking yourself like that!" Sirius fired right back at her. "People love you. A lot of people love you, and you owe it to each and every one of them to take care of yourself and not stupidly risk yourself like that. Damn it, _I _love you, and you know bloody well that every last bit of my happiness is wrapped up in you. So don't you dare do anything that stupid again."

She stared at him, her anger melting away at his impassioned plea. She opened her arms, and he was in them immediately. "I'm so sorry that I scared you, Siri," she murmured, holding him as tight as her tired arms allowed. "I love you and I'm sorry that I scared, but I'm not going to apologize for giving that – that monster as good as I got, you hear? If he was going to kill me, he'd have done that immediately. Maybe I should have kept it shut, but I had to get him close enough that he wouldn't notice me raising my wand, not to mention so that I wouldn't miss. The whole situation is a mess, and my cheek aches something fierce, but it had to happen."

Sirius pressed his lips to the silky soft skin of her neck. "I can't believe he hit you. I could _kill_ him for using those curses on you." He pulled back to stare into her eyes. "Do you know how lucky you are? Those curses he was throwing around, those are dangerous. Even that blinding hex, Gin. What if it had worked permanently? I want you to look in my eyes and see how much I love you the first time we make love, when I ask you to marry me, and when I slip a ring onto your finger making you my wife. I want you see the awe and love in my eyes when you give birth to our children."

She threw her arms around him, pulling him down so she could pepper kisses all over his face. He chuckled at her enthusiasm as he moved to lie next to her on the narrow bed. She rolled onto her side to face him. "Do you really think about those things? Do you really want them?"

"Yeah," he nodded seriously. "I do. I think about those things a lot, Ginevra. None of them were important to me before I met you, but they're all terribly important now that I'm with you."

"They're terribly important to me, too," she returned in a low voice, inching closer until their bodies are pressed flush together. "We're both of age, Siri. We don't have to ask permission, and we don't have to wait for anyone or anything."

He ran his hand through her hair as he leaned down to kiss her. "Maybe we should wait until we graduate, no? Erm, at least for the marriage and children part. I'm only eighteen now, and you aren't even seventeen. And we don't have to worry about parents, but I think McGonagall would have kittens if I knocked you. That might be worse!"

She nuzzled her cheek against the soft fabric of the robes covering his upper arm. "You really do think about those things, don't you?"

"Yeah, Gin, I do," he said, almost defiantly. "I know that you are it for me, and nothing will happen to change that." His look softened as she pressed a soft, lingering kiss to the corner of his mouth. "I never thought about any of those things before I met you, but now I don't think about much else."

Ginny tangled her fingers in the thick silk of his hair, tugging his face to hers as she initiated another lingering kiss. He smiled inwardly when her tongue teased across his lips as she sought to deepen the kiss. "You know that I'm yours, Sirius. I'm yours, and I want those things, too. With you."

His hands slid low on her hips as he forgot where they were. She broke the kiss, but before he could protest, her lips and tongue were attending to the exposed hollow of his throat. She slowed her ministrations and sooner than he would've liked, her head was once again pillowed against his arm. "I'll do everything in my power to stay here with you forever. I've been thinking, and I don't believe that I'm meant to go back to my own time. I think I am meant to be here with you."

"Maybe I wouldn't let you go back anyway," he murmured, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "McGonagall and I will help you fix all that went wrong before, and then we're going to have all those babies. Pretty little girls that look just like you."

Ginny shook her head at that. "They'll have your dark hair and gorgeous dark eyes," she countered with a smile. "Maybe they'll have a few freckles sprinkled across the bridge of their noses."

He grinned at that. "Well, I guess we still have a couple of years before we can worry about that," he noted somewhat darkly. "For now we have to focus on the horcruxes and destroying old Voldemort before he kills Lily and James."

"Or we could just lock Pettigrew up in a secure location and accidentally lose the key," she suggested somewhat cheekily, neither of them hearing the stifled gasp from the next bed over. "He's the key to keeping Lily and James alive," she contended. "Well, him and whoever blabbed the prophecy to Voldemort. That's who I would really like to get my hands on."

"Unfortunately, it is highly unlikely that we will ever know that. I don't know what to do about the traitorous rat, though."

"There isn't anything we can do right now," Ginny soothed him. "McGonagall thinks our best bet might be to let things develop as I know them to in the future and take action as we go. I think her point was that there is nothing we can do now to prevent Peter from joining Voldemort, but when the time comes, we won't let him be chosen as James and Lily's secret keeper."

Sirius nodded his fervent agreement. "If I have anything to do with it, he won't even be considered as an option."

Smiling her agreement, Ginny let her eyes drift closed. "I need to use the loo," she said after a few quiet minutes. "I wonder if Madame Pomfrey would let me take a shower."

"If she thinks you need supervision in there, I'd be happy to help," he grinningly offered as she slid out of the bed. Sitting up, he glanced over at Remus's still form. "When do you think he'll wake up? It seems like he should have, by now."

"He was in really bad shape," she whispered, choking up a little. "He was probably given a stronger dose of the dreamless sleep draught than I was." She looked at her boyfriend, sighing a little. "It was so awful, when I realized it was Remus. I was afraid he was dead. He wasn't moving, Siri."

Sirius quickly gathered her into his arms. "Merlin," he muttered, holding her close. "No one is dead, love. Everyone is here, and we're all okay. Remus will be fine, I promise."

She nodded, sighing. "I do know that, but I'm still worried. Professor Lupin is one of the last people who deserves to suffer, and now it's my fault that he's unconscious and – "

He grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking his head. "It is not your fault, Gin, and Remus will be the first to tell you that."

Swaying tiredly, she nodded. "Okay, bathroom for me. I'm going to shower, too, so don't expect me for awhile."

"You know," he called as she walked off, "If you need your back washed, I'll be in there with you so quickly your head will spin. Just give me a shout, yeah?"

A delicate blush stained her cheeks as she waved off his suggestion. He grinned to himself as he took one of the seats by Remus's bed that Lily or James had vacated. Looking at his friend, he had to admit that it was easy to worry. Remus looked as tired and haggard as he did after the full moon and frail in away that was hard to look at.

When Remus's eyes popped open, Sirius nearly fell off his chair. Before he could react, Remus quietly noted, "I'm not going to die, so stop looking at me like that."

"Thank goodness you're awake!" Sirius enthused, relief evident on his face and in his straightened up posture. "Oh, let me go get Lily and James, I know they're probably right outside the door. They'll want to see you immediately. I think they stepped outside so Gin could get me to calm down after she had pissed me off. You know how it is."

"Lucky for them," Remus noted blandly. "I'm sure they'd count themselves lucky to have missed the two of you sharing her bed."

Sirius's face drained of color as the implications of that statement sink in. If Remus was awake for that, then he more than likely heard their ensuing conversation as well. Sirius moved to go get Ginny, but Remus stopped him. "Sit down, Sirius. I know you didn't want us asking questions about Ginny's past, but surely I am entitled to a few now."

Reluctantly – _very_ reluctantly indeed – Sirius nodded. What else could he do but answer the questions that he knew are coming? "Can we wait and do this sometime when we know that no one else is going to barge in? These aren't things we can talk about when just anyone could hear."

"No," Remus said flatly, his voice as hard and implacable as Sirius had ever heard it. "I'm not giving you time to run off with Ginevra to concoct some story, some lie, to try and worm your way out of this. I'll ask you questions, or you can just tell me the bloody truth for a change."

Sirius flinched at the anger radiating from his friend. "Ginny should be here, though," he argued, probably a little foolishly. "This is her story, and she should get a say in who hears it. If not that, then at least she deserves to be the one telling it."

"If you don't tell me now, I'll go to Dumbledore and get my answers there," Remus rebutted. "I'm not joking around here. I want to know what is going on, and I want you, my friend, to tell me now."

"Well, if you heard, then you already know," Sirius snapped back at Remus. "Godric, Moony! I cannot talk to you about this without Gin here. It's her life, her safety that I'm concerned with."

Remus stared at his friend, shaking his head slightly against the pillow. "You were speaking of time travel! Do you have any idea how remote of a possibility that is? And – and the other things! Peter joining you-know-who? Lily and J-James…?"

Sirius groaned inwardly. "Remus, please promise me that you won't tell anyone about this. You can talk to Gin or Minerva if you have to, but please don't talk to anyone else." A door creaked up, and a Sirius glanced towards the entrance dismayed to see that it was indeed Lily and James, along with Dumbledore. "I swear, we'll tell you everything. We will, I promise, but it can't be now."

Making his friend stew nervously, Remus waited several seconds before nodding his agreement to wait. "Fine, but don't think I'll let this go. I won't forget, and one way or another I will get my answers."

"Of course," Sirius agreed immediately. "Just be careful. This is so damned dangerous for Ginevra, and no one should know. She was actually advised not to tell anyone for her own safety. Please be careful, for Gin's sake."

"Yeah, of course," Remus agreed shakily as the Headmaster approached with Lily and James. "I get it. I'll wait until we can talk alone, sometime later today."

Sirius nodded, relaxing a little as Lily and James fawned over Remus a bit. He sat back in his chair, mulling over the best way to make Remus understand. He could not let anything put their plan at risk, and he would not let anything happen to Ginny. Keeping her safe and protecting her was his number one priority now, especially after this mess. It was obvious to him how valuable her future knowledge was, and it wouldn't surprise him if she was targeted as a result. That was why as few people as possible should know.

James snapped his fingers in Sirius's face, frowning at his friend. "What's the matter with you? Ginny and Remus will both be fine. You can relax a little now." He paused for a minute before laughing out loud. "Don't tell me you're pouting because Gin left to go clean up!"

Shooting James a withering glare, Sirius shook his head. "A lot has happened this week. I guess I'm still just taking it all in."

"Oh, no, what are you three doing here?" Remus exclaimed suddenly, guilt swimming in his eyes. "Ginevra and I did not want you to leave your father, James, any sooner than absolutely necessary. Of all the awful timing."

"Don't blame yourself," Lily smiled. "Whoever attacked you and Gin sent Sirius a letter that basically, well, bragged about it. It's not your fault at all, and for the record, all three of us would have been rather upset to come back and find out that this had happened and we weren't contacted."

James smiled too. "She's right. It is unfortunate how we found out, but we're sorry that we did. Plus, even my father thinks we should be here with you and Gin for this. He knows how important you are to us, Remus."

"Thanks," Remus murmured gruffly. "I – I appreciate that, and I am glad you're back. I just feel awful that it interrupted things."

Lily beamed a wide smile at him. "Don't even worry about it, Remus. We'll go back when we need to for the funeral, and in the meantime we'll be here to keep you and Ginny out of trouble."

In spite of his worry over Remus knowing Ginny's secret, Sirius let out of a bark of laughter. "I'm beginning to think that permanent shield and cushioning charms wouldn't keep Ginevra out of trouble."

"True," James grinned. "She does seem to have a certain knack for finding trouble, doesn't she?"

"I heard that," Ginny noted blandly as she approached the bed. "I'm so glad you're awake, Remus! We've all been so worried about you."

To Sirius's vast relief, Remus smiled normally at her. "Hopefully I don't look half as bad as you. Is your vision quite restored again then?"

"Perfect," she agreed happily, leaning into Sirius's side. "I do have to admit that was rather scary. Not seeing who was with you, not knowing if they were going to strike you, curse you, or worse. He – he was frightening. I was so scared and confused that it seems like a miracle I managed to get out of there."

"Are you alright, Gin?" Lily asked, concerned for her friend.

Visibly gathering her composure, Ginny nodded. "I'm just fine," she assured them, smiling tightly. "You do not have to worry about me even for a second, you hear?"

Sirius opened his mouth to attempt to tease a smile onto her face, but before he could say anything, Lily reached out and grabbed her friend's shaking hand. "We know you'll be fine, but if you ever need to talk about it, I'm here."

"Why would she need to talk to you when she's got me?" Sirius rudely asked, earning an elbow to the ribs from his girlfriend. "Well, you do!"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Well, it doesn't matter, because I am fine. I was scared, but it was an unpleasant situation, so that is to be expected. But I'm alive, and thank Godric Remus is too, so there's no need to get emotional over any of this, right?"

Her friends exchanged looks of concern, but by unspoken agreement, no one pushed her on it. When she was ready to talk about it, they knew that each of them would be ready to listen and help however they could.

"I can't believe Madame Pomfrey is letting you be up and moving around," Sirius noted, eying her skeptically.

"I can't believe you're _able_ to move around," Remus complained. "My ribs hurt so badly that I'm quite sure I couldn't move even if I wanted."

Ginny smiled at him. "Well, he didn't kick me in the ribs like he did you. If it makes you feel better, though, my face hurts a fair bit. Plus, you're still pretty while I am a hideous mess," she intoned dramatically.

Remus blushed while the rest of them snickered. "I'm sure Madame Pomfrey will be able to fix your face soon enough, Gin. I wouldn't worry too much."

"She's perfect as is," Sirius grinned at his girlfriend, who just shook her head. "Well, it's true. I was so worried when I got that letter that – well, I'm just glad you're okay. That you're both okay. It's so lucky…"

"That's the truth!" James agreed. "He had you both alone and unconscious or blind. He could have done anything he wanted to both of you, and there really wasn't much you could've done to stop him."

Fighting the urge to shudder, Ginny glared at James. "Well, it's not really like we planned on it, Potter. We were attacked from behind! Remus was stunned from behind! What did you want us to do?"

"Oy, Gin, I didn't mean anything by it," James protested, holding his hands up in surrender. "All I was saying was that I guess in a twisted way, it's lucky that this crazy berk just wanted to torture you a little rather than kill you. And anyway, I wasn't questioning your ability – you could most likely kick my ass – but I guess I was just noting that anyone of us could have something happen and there is no way to prevent it."

Remus watched as Ginny and Sirius exchanged slightly stricken looks before covering them quickly with blank looks. In that instant, he was able to believe what he had overheard as crazy and ridiculous and downright preposterous as it had sounded. The crazy, fantastical idea that Ginevra had time-traveled from some horrible, bleak future was suddenly not outside the realm of possibility. It was still crazy, without a doubt insane, but he saw that they believed it. And when he thought about it, he realized that he did, too.

Perhaps that made him the craziest of them all.

"Well," Lily began after a lengthy lull in the conversation, "I think we should all relax a little bit. The funeral is scheduled for Saturday. Perhaps, since this is a special circumstance, the Headmaster and Professor McGonagall would let the two of you gain permission to come with us. Afterwards, maybe we could go out and see a Muggle movie or something. Just get out and get away for a bit." Sirius offered up the suggestion of apparating to London for a little more excitement.

"Ah, an excellent idea, Miss Evans," Dumbledore smiled as he approached Remus's bedside. "If Mr. Lupin and Miss Watson can obtain permission from a parent or guardian, then I think that would be good for all of you. You all have earned a little fun after the stress of this week."

James smiled at the suggestion. "It probably would be nice to have something to do after the funeral. At the very least, it would be nice to have all of my friends there at the funeral with me. Thank you, sir, for considering it."

Dumbledore gave him a smile of great understanding. "It is my pleasure to help my students in any way that I can. Since I was unable to prevent the two of you from being attacked, this really is the least that I can do."

Five jaws dropped open, but it was Ginny who stepped forward to lay a hand on his arm. "Sir, you cannot possibly blame yourself for this. There was nothing you could have done to prevent it, not when this person was obviously so intent on this. I rather get the feeling he was going to make this happen one way or another."

"That is exceedingly kind of you to say, Miss Watson," Dumbledore acknowledged, covering her hand with his own. "I beg to differ, but I do appreciate the sentiment." He smiled at all of them before turning his gaze to Sirius. "Mr. Black, if you'd walk with me, there is another matter that we need to discuss."

"Erm, sure," Sirius agreed, a quizzical look on this face. True to form, the twinkling in Dumbledore's eyes revealed nothing. "I guess that I will see you all in a bit."

"A short bit indeed," Dumbledore contributed with a smile. Ginny offered Sirius a wide smile as she climbed back onto the bed she had so recently waked up in.

James was the first to speak. "Well, that's certainly odd," he noted wryly. "What on earth did he do to warrant a private visit with the headmaster?"

Remus shrugged and Lily shook her head. "He hasn't done anything lately," Lily noted. "Nothing he'd be in trouble for, at least. It must be something else. Besides, Professor Dumbledore seemed pleased, really. I can't imagine that it is a bad conversation they are having."

Giggling madly, Ginny shook her head. "He hasn't even pulled a prank in several weeks, but I'm sure he's still running through everything he could possibly be in trouble for in his head."

"Well, like Lily said, it didn't seem like he was in trouble, although the idea of him thinking he must be is rather funny," Remus grinned. "I'm sure he deserves the torture a little bit."

"Ha, more like a lot," Ginny countered sweetly. Lily climbed onto her bed, sitting beside her, sighing softly. Ginny leaned her head onto Lily's shoulder. "I really am grateful that you all are here."

James grinned as he took a seat on the foot of Remus's bed. "Well, now, where else would we be? You two are our best friends. The only thought any of us really had was that we needed to get back here to you."

Ginny smiled gratefully at him. "Well, thanks just the same, yeah? It really is a nice comfort to see friendly faces that aren't trying to pour potions down our throats," she sighed as Lily wrapped an arm around her. "I miss my family so much, but having you lot here helps so much. You don't even know how much."

Unbeknownst to her, the other three exchanged surprised looks. It certainly was not often that Ginny even mentioned her family, let alone to anything even slightly personal like that. Lily hugged her tighter. "I know we aren't the same, but we are here for you, Gin. Whatever you need, we are here."

Ginny gave her a watery smile. "Thank you. I just really cannot say it enough. You all are wonderful, and I know how lucky I am to have met each of you. I know that I'm lucky that you all have welcomed me into your lives, and it means so much to me."

"We love you, too," Lily smiled, hugging her even tighter. Sighing reluctantly, she looked over at James. "We ought to owl your father, James. He'll want to know that everything is alright here. We should also check in with Professor McGonagall and see if there is anything we need to do. Since Remus is here, Gryffindor is down a Prefect."

"Too right," James agreed. He stood up, surprising Remus by pulling him into a tight hug. "I'm really glad that you are alright, Moony," he whispered gruffly into his friend's ear. He moved over to Ginny's bed, hugging her too. "You be careful for a change, yeah?"

"Yeah," Ginny agreed, smiling sheepishly. She waved at Lily and James before rolling to her side to look over at Remus. "Do you really think Sirius isn't in trouble? He couldn't have done anything since they arrived back here last night, could he?"

Remus shrugged, a little unsure how to react to her now that they were alone. "I guess that with him, anything is possible, but I really do doubt it. It probably is nothing, Ginny."

She smiled faintly, brushing her hair out of her eyes. "I suppose. It's just – well, he'll want retribution from whoever did this, and – "

"I do, too," Remus grunted. "Godric, we _deserve_ retribution, Ginevra! This wasn't something that just happened. It was done on purpose, with planning!"

Ginny nodded, squeezing her eyes shut tightly. "If I hadn't gotten lucky and stunned him the first time, what do you think would have happened to us? Someone willing and able to do those things would seem to be capable of so much more."

Remus sighed, but did nod his agreement. "Yes, he probably was capable of much more. I think that we were very lucky to have escaped. That's a rather dreary thought, isn't it? To know that we were held under the cruciatus, you were blinded and beaten, and yet it could have been worse?"

"These are dangerous times," she agreed absently. "I'm afraid things will get worse before they get better, too. That's another dreary thought."

"Indeed," he nodded solemnly, before going in for the kill. "I overheard you and Sirius talking earlier when you thought I was asleep." Her gaze flew over to meet his. He nodded at the shocked expression on her face. "Are you a Death Eater?"

"Remus!" she gasped, terribly hurt by the question. "You have to know that I am anything but a Death Eater. I can't – I honestly can't believe you'd think that after everything we've been though!"

He eyed her carefully. "You said yourself that these are dangerous times. I'm just being careful. Surely you can understand that."

Ginny looked down, her face burning hotly. "Right, of course. I don't suppose you will at least hear me out. Remus, is that too much to ask?"

"I – no," he sighed, much of his anger draining away in the face of her distress. "Of course I'll hear you out, Ginevera. It's just so frustrating that everything has been a lie."

"It wasn't all a lie," she countered softly, slipping out of her bed to sit on the edge of his. "Why I'm here now, what happened to bring me, the Beauxbatons story, those were lies. But so much of the rest is true. I do have six older brothers, I am related to the Weasley family in Ottery St. Catchpole, and most importantly, I love all of you so much. You really are like family to me, and that means so much."

"Let's just discuss this when Sirius gets back," Remus suggested, not immune to the pleading look on her face. "He has just as much to answer for as you."

Ginny crinkled her nose up, reaching out and grabbing his hand. "Please don't be mad at him. Everything that has happened is my fault, not his. You and James mean the world to him, and he never wanted to keep anything from you. It's _my_ fault."

He lifted a disbelieving eyebrow at that. "He told us that you were willing to share all of your secrets, but that he made the decision to keep them quiet. I think this is just as much his fault as it is yours."

"He just wants to protect us all," Ginny then tried to reason. "The last thing he'd ever want is to see you, Lily, or James hurt. I know that you know that is the truth. I know it."

"Yeah, well, things change, don't they, Ginevra? You'll forgive me for not being absolutely trusting of either of you at the moment. This – it just doesn't make any sense! This is a -crazy possibility – time travel!" he hissed angrily. "Do you know how far-fetched of a possibility that is? It's bloody close to being impossible, Ginny. Very bloody close!"

She flinched – she wasn't sure if she'd ever heard him curse like that before, but she managed to look him in the eye. "I should think that very few things in life are true impossibilities, Remus. You – I will understand if you cannot believe; I suppose that all I can fairly ask is that you not interfere in what we are trying to do."

Remus leaned forward, staring here in the eye. "What exactly is it that you are trying to do, Ginny?"

Before Ginny could answer, the door burst open and Sirius nearly flew into the room, his face flushed red with excitement. "I got into the Auror training program!"

"Oh!" Ginny bubbled, launching herself into his arms when he got to her. "I am so happy for you, Sirius Black," she enthused, laughing as he lifted her off her feet, twirling her around in a circle. "I am so happy for you!"

"Me too," Remus agreed quietly, but sincerely. In spite of his anger with the two friends in front of him and his jealousy over not being able to pursue the career of his choice, he really was thrilled for his friend. For both of them, actually. "Congrats, Padfoot."

Sirius grinned at Remus over Ginny's head. "Thanks, mate. You too, love. I just – Dumbledore had the acceptance letter, and he and McGonagall helped me fill out the admissions paperwork. This feels like a really good dream."

Ginny smirked up at him, dropping her hand to pinch as much of his arse as she could manage. She laughed when he yelped, jumping away from her. "See? Not a dream."

"So that's why Dumbledore pulled you away then?" Remus asked. "We figured that you had set something on fire or blown up a bathroom."

"Nah, nothing so interesting as that," Sirius smiled easily, keeping an arm around Ginny. "Madame Pomfrey going to spring you two soon?"

"Probably," Remus noted dryly. "Ginny at least. That ought to give you two time to get your stories straight, eh?"

Sirius and Ginny exchanged looks before Sirius sighed at his friend. "There's no need to do that," he tried to assure his skeptical friend. "We'll tell you everything, Moony. We won't hold anything back and we'll answer any questions that you have."

Ginny nodded her agreement. "We'll tell you everything, Remus. Just hear us out, okay? You have to hear the whole story, and then…hopefully you'll understand the importance of what we're trying to do."

"You travelled through time, and I gather that it wasn't by accident. I think the gravity of the situation speaks for itself," Remus snorted dryly. "I want to know the details, though."

"We'll tell you," Sirius promised again, the arm around Ginny's shoulder tightening. "I know you'll understand once we explain."

"I don't doubt it," Remus agreed with a roll of his eyes. "I'm just so tired of the secrets and lies. If you can't trust your friends with your secrets, then who can you trust?"

Wondering that exact same thing as life seemed to grow more complicated by the day, Ginny and Sirius exchanged looks of concern. Things were moving faster all the time, and they were wondering how they'd be able to keep up.


End file.
